Shinobi
by BlueSeeker23
Summary: Okay, no new update for a really long time is BAD! XD Sorry guys and for all those out there who are reading this, I will work on it again soon. Hang in there!
1. Prologue

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANY DEAD OR ALIVE CHARACTER. THOSE CHARACTERS BELONG TO TECMO, LTD. AND TEAM NINJA. I AM IN NO WAY INTENDING ANY COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT AND I'M NOT MAKING A PROFIT FROM THE USE OF THESE CHARACTERS. ANY CHARACTER NOT A PART OF DEAD OR ALIVE IS MINE AND MINE ALONE.

****

**Prologue**

_Monday, December 12_

_9:15 P.M._

_Forest Park_

The crisp winter air drifted into her lungs as she gazed up into the starry night sky, wishing things hadn't gotten so far out of control. The full moon cast an eerie glow over the gloomy forest path, seemingly causing to forest around her to shimmer in its mellow blue light, and the usual comforting sounds of wildlife were now dormant, leaving a menacing silence in its wake. Kasumi walked briskly along the peaceful path towards the mountains, leaving the lively town of Okashima further behind her. Her heart was growing restless and her palms slick with sweat as the forest's deadening silence engulfed her, blanketing her sharp senses with a dull, yet disturbing tranquility.

Suddenly, the distinct sound of snapping twigs was made behind her. She spun around with blinding speed and prepared to fight, but relaxed when she spotted a retreating forest animal startled by her presence. As it vanished into the darkness around her, Kasumi sighed and trudged on, knowing that she had a long night ahead of her.

She had grown tiresome of the constant attacks by the assassins trailing her, and she desperately longed for peace and forgiveness. But she could never get the chance to get any rest because she was too scared that one day she would be too slow to dodge their deadly shuriken spikes, or too exhausted to hear their stealthy approach.

How was it that she had made everyone angry at her for simply doing the right thing? Raidou needed to be stopped and since the village elders wouldn't allow her to take action, she had to do it the hard way. But she had no idea that it would be so hard and she felt like things were continuously spiraling downward and out of her control.

There was another crisp snap, and this time a much larger stick was broken. She whirled around once more, half expecting to see another animal, but instead she saw the dark outline of a large man in the middle of the rocky trail, his hands in his pockets and an easy grin upon his face. Again, she became unnerved by the forest's silence, but chose to ignore it, giving this strange intruder the benefit of the doubt.

"Hello, young lady."

Kasumi relaxed her muscles and stood up straight, her soft lips parting in a friendly smile. "Hi, are you lost?"

"Not quite," the man chuckled. "I'm going to need you to come with me." His tone had instantly changed from jolly to threatening.

"Why?" she asked calmly, her smile slowly fading.

"My employer wants to ask you a few questions. Now you can come willingly," the man paused to pop his knuckles," or there's always the hard way."

"I don't wish to fight. Just let me go."

As she said this, Kasumi quickly scanned her surroundings with her dazzling copper eyes. The man appeared to be by himself, but the woods were flooded with a thick darkness and could easily have hidden many reinforcements within its shadowy depths.

"I'm afraid I can't do that. You see, if I bring you back alive I will get a very large reward. If I don't, well, my boss is a very fearsome man."

She heard some leaves rustle to her left and the crunch of gravel beneath a man's heavy boot off to her right. Whoever these guys were, they weren't the same assassins that have been chasing her for so long and obviously lacked the finess of Hayate's warriors. No, these men were probably ex-military by the way they had spread themselves out and unfortunately for her, she had little experience with mercenaries and their dishonorable tactics. Furthermore, these men seemed to want her alive for reasons she couldn't seem to grasp, so she did the only thing she could do. She primed herself for a fight, hoping she could get away and possibly vanish into the darkness surrounding her like she had countless times before.

The man laughed coldly as he noticed her defensive stance. "You honestly don't think I'm here alone, do you? I thought you were better than that."

At that moment, two other men dressed in black tactical military clothing stepped out of the woods behind her, with their firearms ready and pointed directly towards the center of her back.

"Let me go! I don't want to have to hurt you," she pleaded, hoping to peacefully resolve this mess. Fighting had grown old and all she wanted was to be left alone. She hoped that maybe they would see that.

He chuckled and started towards her with a confident stride. The two men behind her stepped closer as well giving her a feeling of being boxed in like a zoo animal.

"Please stop!"

The men took another invasive step into her personal space and she decided she was left with no choice other than to try and fight. After all, there were only three of them, right?

Kasumi bolted towards the large man and tried to trip him with a low sweeping kick to the shins, but to her amazement he easily blocked with his rock hard forearm and clamped his large hands around her petite ankle, squeezing so hard it made her eyes water. Then he pulled up on her leg making her lose her footing and fall onto her back, which left her in the perfect position to be kicked by the other men.

But Kasumi had been well trained in martial arts and knew that the small amount of pain in her lower leg was nothing compared to what this man was about to feel. She slammed her free foot squarely into the large man's chest so hard he instantly released her ankle from his vice-like grip and stumbled backwards, wheezing. Then she performed an outstanding 360 degree low kick as she popped off of the damp earth beneath her, making the other two thugs jump backwards in surprise and forcing the large man to jump over her leg. Then he smiled and threw a forceful punch towards her collarbone, which she barely managed to block with her unshielded forearm. But as soon as she did block it, the man aimed a brutal blow towards her stomach, which connected with such sickening force that it weakened her knees with pain.

But her mind remained sharp and clear, even through the misery. So when the man again tried to strike her down, she used her training as a Shinobi to seemingly vanish into a swirling cloud of milky pink sakura blossoms. Then she reappeared behind him before he could even have time to search for her. Using this element of surprise without hesitation, Kasumi kicked him hard in the middle of the back with a 180 degree spin.

The man stumbled forward, but quickly regained his balance and turned around to see that now the young woman had exposed her back to him. But just as he was about to attack from behind, Kasumi bent her knees and coiled up the muscles in her upper thighs, using all her strength to jump up from her crouching position and delivering a sharp, lightning fast blow to his jaw she flew upwards.

She paused a moment and actually became startled when the man clutched his face and yelled many obscene curses at her. He remained in that enraged state for all of ten seconds before straightening up and spitting out one of his bloody teeth. She observed that the other men had lowered their weapons during the heated engagement, but now raised them once again and pointed them at her beautiful face, ignoring the clear look desperation in her innocent eyes.

But the man she had fought with gestured for both of them to relax. He then turned around, sending a piercing glare at Kasumi, who quietly waited to see if he would give up. He smiled darkly at her wasted optimism and then gave a slight nod towards the woods.

Then, to her complete shock, two more men jumped out of the woods from behind her and latched both of their muscular arms around each of her own arms with almost painful force. Then they each used one of their legs to mercilessly stomp on her own two feet and pin them to the ground, leaving her utterly vulnerable to the large man and incapable of defending herself. A cheap trick that was even lower than low in her eyes, but now it seemed there was nothing she could do about it.

The large man smiled at her, revealing his now bloody teeth and split lip. He made his hands into tight fists and laughed as Kasumi let out a frustrated yell of anger, watching with amusement as she tried in vain to wrestle herself from his mens' solid grasp. Then he took a step closer and punched her in the gut with such violent power that she gagged, almost vomiting onto the man that had delivered the merciless blow. As she doubled over, panting for breath and suppressing her agonized sobs, the two men holding her in place forced her to stand up straight again and the large man shook his head.

"And she chooses the hard way. Tsk. Tsk."

"Release me!" Kasumi screamed, her eyes watering and her stomach churning.

"Well, I did offer you the easy way, but now I'm forced to do this. Sorry, Missy, but you aren't going anywhere."

Kasumi blinked away her tears of pain and glared at the man with such fire it made him crack a smile of respect. But it was more like the kind of respect that a hunter shows for his prey just as he's about to shoot it. _'She's something else..."_

He directed his attention into the darkness of the woods for a split secondbefore hearing her soft voice sluggishly mutter something in Japanese. It sounded like a Zen meditation technique and he assumed it was her way of dealing with the fear she must be feeling. But as he turned to rub it in her face, she looked him in the eye with stern confidence.

"You are wrong..."

"Huh? Wha--?"

Kasumi then pulled off a stunt so amazing it caused her attackers to become dumbfounded from the sheer beauty of the moves she performed. In the palm of each of her hands lay small white balls of lightning and the man only got to see them for a split second before she used her wrists to launch them towards the earth beside her feet, making both men move their feet out of the path of destruction. With her legs now free of any restriction, she jumped and planted her feet on the large tree behind her putting her in a position parallel with the ground beneath her. Then she launched herself towards the ground with all the speed she could muster, also forcing both the men holding her arms down as well. When the three of them crashed into the earth below them, the two soldiers released Kasumi in order to brace their fall.

The Torn Sky Blast had served her well, but the maneuver she had just performed had also hurt her as much as it had the mercenaries. Both her ankles were extremely tender from the blast and she found it hard to stand on her own two legs and maintain balance. But now that she was again free from the mens' death grip, Kasumi found her odds against the large man before her much better.

"Impressive, young lady." the man said as he began to clap. "He didn't lie when he said you were one of the best. But enough fooling around." He turned to the woods and whistled. "Come out, guys."

Kasumi instantly found herself surrounded by at least twenty men with all their guns pointed at her chest. She leaned against the tree for support and closed her eyes against the nausea she was feeling.

"Care to change your mind?"

"It's not fair…." She choked as she clamped both her arms over her sore body. "Why are you doing this?"

"It doesn't matter because the only way you're leaving here is with us, whether you like it or not. Now, are you going to stop being a stupid little girl and just come without a fight?"

There was no way she could fight twenty skilled mercenaries. Three, maybe. But twenty? There was no possible way she could win that fight and escape the woods alive. Only a final possibility remained in her thoughts, but she would have to be clever in order to succeed. There was a cave not too far from where she was standing, and if she was fast enough, maybe she could escape. Kasumi relaxed her muscles and let out a deep sigh, trying to calm her shaken nerves and churning stomach.

"….okay, I'll go…." she muttered dejectedly, blinking away the last of her tears.

"That's more like it."

He ordered the men to lower their weapons and stand down. Now was her chance. As the large man quickly advanced on her, she dived into the woods, rolled, and came up running as fast as her slender legs could carry her. The soreness in her ankles was overridden by her sheer determination to escape and the pain in her gut vanished with the adrenaline rush pumping through her veins.

"You know, this is getting a little old," he yelled after her. "Why don't you just give up?"

She was almost there. She could make out the familiar silhouette of the cave entrance against the pale moonlight flooding forest around her and she knew that she had succeeded in her plan to--

"Ahh!"

Suddenly, there was a sharp sting in her left thigh and she let out a surprised yelp as she tripped and fell to the ground. Before getting up, Kasumi felt to see what it was that had stabbed her leg only to find an empty dart stuck deep in her skin. After she yanked it out, she tossed the projectile aside and continued her desperate dash towards the small cave, but something felt different now. _'Just a little further,' _she thought. _'Ignore the pain and keep moving!'_

However, in just a few short seconds, Kasumi became very dizzy and her left side had gone completely numb. She limped on until she stumbled over a large tree root, lost her balance once again, and fell to her hands and knees, scraping her soft skin on small rocks and sharp thistles. Refusing to give in, she slowly climbed to her feet and kept going, ignoring the stinging in her bleeding knees and palms.

"What's the matter, princess?" the man laughed. "Not feeling well?"

She stared at the cave and staggered on until, finally, her legs gave way and she collapsed onto the damp forest floor, and Kasumi knew there was no hope of escape. She had exhausted both her mind and her body and knew in her heart that this truly was the end of her drawn out fight. But for some reason, she still refused to resign to these thugs. With tears in her eyes, she commanded herself to get up once more, but she was completely paralyzed. She couldn't even get her finger to twitch, much less her legs to run. The large man came up to her and shook his head, a big smile on his face as he stared down at his helpless prize.

"Works fast doesn't it? It's a very special mix," He gloated. Then he turned and addressed one of the other men she couldn't see. "Put her in the van. Make sure she can't escape. Do whatever you have to, but I don't want any trouble when this stuff wears off, got it?"

"Yes, sir," One of the men replied with a note of glee Kasumi didn't appreciate. "It'll be my pleasure."

The area was immediately bathed in the bright headlights of a hidden van stashed just behind a small cluster of trees in front of where she was lying. She struggled desperately to get up as two of the mercenaries walked towards her, even though she knew it was only a waste of her valuable energy to keep resisting the drugs in her system. Her eyelids became very heavy and she strained hard just to keep them open.

The two men that held her earlier roughly hauled her up of the dirt like a sack of flour and shoved her against a large tree, 'accidentally' causing the back of her head to slam against the trunk of the tree. Now, her entire body was without feeling and she barely felt them tie her wrists and ankles tightly with a rough white rope.

"Please..." she whispered, barely audible. "You... can't..."

She closed her eyes as a stray tear glided down her cheek, barely able to stay awake. The last thing she remembered was being thrown harshly into the back of a dark blue van before she gave in to the infinite darkness.

* * *

When Kasumi awakened she felt a deep panic spread throughout her thoughts. Where was she? What had happened? How long had she been here? Then it all rushed back to her, piece by piece. The amiable aggressor in the forest and the sudden ambush weren't a nightmare after all, no matter how much she had wished it was just that.

She shook her head, immediately regretting the action as she was rewarded with an intense pounding pain at the base of her skull that slowly reverberated though her entire brain, causing her to shut her eyes as more tears formed behind them. She tried to move but it was no use. She seemed to be cuffed down to a large cold metal examination table of some sort. After a few minutes of weakly fighting against her solid restraints, Kasumi became worn out and gave up. She took a few precious seconds to recover some of her expended breath, and carefully looked around the dim room, hoping to find some way to escape.

There was nothing remarkable about the place. All the walls were made of dull gray cinder blocks and the floor was poured concrete covered in thick layer clear plastic sheets. It looked like a basement of some sort. The table she was on was located in the center of the room, from what she could tell, and the only source of light was a small barred window near the ceiling with a view of some dirty old equipment outside in what looked to be an even bigger building. She could make out two collapsible chairs by the large wooden door and that was it. She tried once more to free herself from the cuffs that held her to the table, but it was to no avail. Her exertion again caused her head to pound with a ferocious intensity and the side stung by the dart began throbbing with a dull ache.

So, with nothing better to do, Kasumi sat there on the frigid steel table over the course of about two hours, drifting in and out of sleep like a lost traveler until finally the wooden door made a reluctant creaking sound as it slowly opened. She squinted to see who was there, but the darkness and her own fatigue prevented her from observing anything beyond a vague silhouette. She could tell that one of the men entering the room was rather short in stature, but the one beside him she recognized almost immediately by the way he walked and began to feel a passionate anger at what he had done to her. But Kasumi knew that getting emotional was useless now and her training demanded a clear mind like that of a polished mirror at all times. But when she finally got the anger to vanish all she had left was fear, and for some reason the fear was extremely hard for her to suppress.

"Ah, wonderful work, Duncan! You may collect your reward upstairs. While you're up there, get Shark on the phone." The short man said, clearly satisfied with the prize strapped to the table before him. He made her feel nervous, but she hid her anxiety well.

"Yeah, okay. You need anything else?" He wasn't nearly as cocky as he had been the night before and Kasumi noticed this immediately. But this observation also caused the bulk of her fear to shift from the large man towards the smaller man.

"Did I ask for anything else! Now go call Shark you bumbling fool!" the man she assumed to be in charge yelled, compounding her already fierce headache with his booming voice. Her eyes teared up and she let out a hurt gasp, which caught the attention of both men in the room, who had assumed she was still sleeping.

Duncan chuckled as he saw a single tear slide down her face and then faced the small man. "You should be careful. She looks like a flower but I think she gave me one of the hardest workouts I've had in months."

The small man smiled down at her as she opened her watering eyes. "Well, I don't think she'll be much trouble here. And if she is, I'll put her in her place rather quickly. You can be sure of that. Now, scram!"

The large man nodded and quickly turned and walked out of the room leaving Kasumi alone with the vicious smaller man. He flipped a switch next to the door, turning on a few fluorescent lights attached to the roof. Kasumi's headache flared and she squinted her glistening eyes as they adjusted to the change. Now that she could see the man, she noticed that he was dressed in black suit pants and a dark blue dress shirt much like a businessman from the city would wear. He menacingly toyed with a six inch hunting knife as he stepped closer to her, dragging one of the chairs behind him. He took a seat when he reached the table, never letting the shining metal blade out of her sight, preying on her growing dread like a savage predator.

"Welcome."

"You must let me go! I haven't done anything wrong!" Kasumi yelled, fighting with the thick steel cuffs binding her wrists and ankles down and ignoring the immense pain shooting through her entire body. It was now more than ever that she realized the effects of last night's fight were still quite strong.

"I know. However, you know some things that are very hard to learn about," the man replied in a business-like tone. "I am very interested in what you know about this mountain."

"I don't understand what you're talking about. What do you want from me!"

"We should really wait for Shark before discussing that," he replied calmly.

Kasumi felt a cold shiver run down her spine and as a terrible realization of what Shark's occupation might be appeared in her mind. She stopped her fruitless struggle against the cuffs and suppressed the wave of pain that echoed through her head.

"Who are you?" she asked softly, fear creeping into her voice.

"You can call me Smith."

She suspected it wasn't his real name. "I just want--"

"I know exactly what you want and you should know that I don't care. So quit your crying and look at me, girl!"

Kasumi again felt another tear upon her cheek as Smith shouted at her, but she defiantly refused to look at the man in the eye. "Please, just let me go! I swear I don't know anything about this mountain or--"

He forcefully pounded the table next to her head and smiled as she flinched. "Don't lie to me, girl! I know more about you than even your own brother at this point."

Kasumi swallowed hard and opened her mouth to again request for her freedom, but something told her that it would only make things worse so she held her tongue.

"You had better get some rest. You're going to need it. I'll be back once Shark arrives. Until then..."

Then Smith lightly dragged the sharp steel tip of his knife along her forearm, got up and left the room.

Kasumi once again searched the room for anything she could use to escape, desperate and afraid for her life. Her sharp copper eyes darted about the room and her breathing became accelerated at the thought of what she may be facing. The only thing in the room besides the chairs and the table, was a large shop broom by the door. Other then that, there was no fathomable means of escape. These men had apparently thought this through.

And the more she thought about this whole mess, the more she realized that this 'Smith' had been well prepared for anything she might pull. Even Duncan had known what she was most likely to do during a fight and it bothered her. She contemplated her fate for about an hour and a half before falling into a restless sleep filled with awful dreams of violence, pain, and terror.


	2. Chapter One

**DISCLAIMER:** I DO NOT OWN ANY DEAD OR ALIVE CHARACTER. THOSE CHARACTERS BELONG TO TECMO, LTD. AND TEAM NINJA. I AM IN NO WAY INTENDING ANY COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT AND I'M NOT MAKING A PROFIT FROM THE USE OF THESE CHARACTERS. ANY CHARACTER NOT A PART OF DEAD OR ALIVE IS MINE AND MINE ALONE.

**Chapter One**

_Five months earlier..._

_Thursday, July 23_

_11:07 P.M._

_Zack Kingdom Hotel and Casino_

Jack Wallace watched the casino intently for any signs of trouble, although he already knew there wouldn't be any. There never was any trouble around here, and that made things very boring for the twenty year old ex-detective. He wanted action, but all he had seen since he joined Zack's staff was a bunch of card games and a few heated arguments.

At the moment, most of the girls were sitting at the poker table playing a game and from what he could tell, Helena was winning. Ayane sat at the bar drinking a soda, as she had been doing every night for the past few weeks. Christie was nowhere in sight, but she never came down to the casino floor, and he was grateful for that. She creeped him out. He often wondered why Zack even bothered hiring a security team for the hotel. No one was even here during the day, and at night everyone was just having fun playing games and making jokes. But Jack knew you could never be too careful. Especially when you're filthy rich.

He returned his focus to the casino as Kasumi got up from her spot at the poker table and walked up to the bar, near where Ayane was sitting. She quietly ordered a strawberry soda, sat down, but she said nothing. Ayane glared fiercely at her, then she turned and stared at her empty glass. Silence filled the air with a thick tension that even Jack could feel weighing down on him. Kasumi broke the dense silence first.

"Ayane, I wanted--," she began.

"What _do _you want?"

"I wanted to see if you might want to join us in our next game," Kasumi said with forced enthusiasm.

"I don't want to play with you, or your stuck up friends over there," Ayane said coldly. "I just want to be left alone. Why can't you get that through your thick little skull?"

"I just thought that--"

"You thought wrong. Now leave, Kasumi, while you're still able to walk."

Kasumi sighed and got up. She walked slowly back to the poker table and resumed her game, but not with the same energy as before. Ayane's words had clearly left a mark. Ayane put her elbows on the counter and continued to stare at her empty glass, lost deep in her own memories.

Jack shook his head and sighed. It was always the same. One of the other girls would try to be nice by giving gifts or trying to hang out, but Ayane always ignored them. Kasumi seemed to be most persistent, but after two weeks even she seemed to be giving up. He had to admire her for her tenacity, and he wondered not for the first time why Ayane refused to make friends.

Jack walked up to her cautiously. Zack had warned him about Ayane, but she can't be as bad as he had said. But when Jack said this, Zack just laughed. His exact words were, 'Don't get caught up in their petty issues, man. Just chill and enjoy the eye candy.' But Jack didn't feel that way about these girls. They were people, not objects.

He refilled Ayane's glass and sat down next to her. She took the glass and eyed Jack suspiciously.

"Hey, my name is Jack Wallace. I'm head of security here," he said.

"So?" she asked mockingly. "Have I done anything wrong, or are you here to annoy me like all the others?"

Jack ignored her remark. "I was just wondering if you're okay. You seem a little blue."

"And how would you know? You don't know me," she said.

This was going to be harder than he thought.

"I'm just concerned, that's all. All you ever do is just sit here. Even when the other girls try to be friendly, you blow them off. And for reasons I can't understand, Kasumi--"

She scowled and cut him off.

"Kasumi what? What about her?" Ayane asked loudly.

"She just seems to want--" he was cut off again.

"You don't have any clue what you're talking about, Jack."  
"Why don't you fill me in then?"

Ayane sighed and looked Jack in the eye. "Just stay out of this. It's a family matter. You wouldn't understand."

He was totally surprised. He had no clue they were related to each other. It just made things even more complicated. "Wait a minute, you two are related? Then why--?"

Ayane quickly looked back to her glass of soda. "Are you stupid? I said stay out of it! I don't really feel like kicking your ass, but I will if I have to. Now leave!"

Jack didn't want to ruin anyone's vacation so he got up and walked back to his post at the opposite end of the bar. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Ayane get up and walk briskly to the elevators, clearly upset.

A few minutes after Ayane had stormed out of the room, Kasumi walked back to the bar for another drink. The young security guard was still standing at the end of the bar, watching everything with his deep brown eyes, but she could easily see that his mind was anywhere but the casino floor. She refilled her soda and walked up to him.

"Hi, I'm Kasumi," she said. "I've noticed you before, but I don't think I've ever spoken to you."

"Hey, my name's Jack." he said as he extended his hand. "It's nice to finally meet you, Kasumi."

She shook his hand and took a sip of soda from her straw. "I see you met my sister. I couldn't help but overhear."

Jack nodded. "It was kinda loud. She seems so...angry. And they way she treated you was so uncalled for."

"Maybe, maybe not..."

Jack noticed a change in Kasumi's voice. "Is there something going on?"

"Why do you think that?" she asked.

"Out of all the girls that I've seen talk to her, she treats you the worst. She seems so lonely, but she won't let anyone near her, especially not you. After seeing the way she treats you, I'm amazed you keep trying. Why bother?" he asked.

"Because, everyone needs a friend, Jack." she said warmly. "We had that once, and I guess it's still hard for me to accept that it's gone."

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Jack asked.

"No," Kasumi sighed, "but thanks for asking. Things are just too complicated for you to do anything. It was nice to meet you, but I had better get going. Maybe we can talk again tomorrow?"

Jack nodded. "Sounds good to me. See you later."

She finished her drink and walked to the elevators, waving at him before she entered one of the cars. There was something special about that girl.

Jack was very confused. He decided not to press the matter, though. If she had wanted him to know, she would have told him. And she was right when she said things were too complicated. He glanced at his watch and walked outside for a breath of fresh air. The warm ocean breeze gently ruffled his dark suit jacket and the sound of waves crashing against the shore filled his ears. The night was gorgeous and he could see a magnitude of glistening stars shining down on him form the black abyss of deep space. All the windows in the hotel were dark and the place looked very empty. After about ten minutes of enjoying the peaceful night, he decided to go back inside and finish his shift.

* * *

_Friday, July 24_

_5:47 A.M._

_Poolside_

Ayane walked down to the lobby early the next morning, before sunrise. The place was virtually empty and she felt the full weight of her loneliness weigh down on her like an overbearing shadow. She walked out to the pool and sat at the picnic table closest to the snack bar, wanting nothing more than peace and quiet. The dim lamps on the rock wall surrounding the pool filled the area with their warm gentle light and the pool glowed brightly from its brilliant underwater lamps.

"Can't sleep?" a male voice called out from behind her.

She whirled around and spotted Jack walking up from the shoreline. Ayane let out a quiet sigh and relaxed.

"Oh, it's _you_. Don't ever sneak up on me again, got it?" she said, glaring at him. "Unless you have a death wish."

Jack ran his fingers through his dark spiked hair. "Sorry, I was just looking at the ocean when you walked out. It's beautiful isn't it?"

Ayane gave a slight appreciative nod as she stared out at the dark sea. "Yeah, it is. Why are you up so early?"

Jack noticed she seemed to be in a much better mood. Now she at least seemed civil. "I always get up early. I can't stay asleep for too long. What about you?"

"It's nothing," she said gloomily.

He suspected that there was something bugging her, so he took a seat at the picnic table across from her. "You can tell me. I promise I'll keep it secret."

Ayane blew her lavender bangs away from her face and rolled her eyes. "If you going to bother me about my sister again, you're wasting your time. I said it's nothing. I'm fine."

Jack got up. "If you don't feel comfortable--"

"I don't, so just leave me alone." Her tone wasn't aggressive, but it had a sharp edge to it.

Jack nodded. "Fine, if that's the way you want it. I've got to go watch the casino anyway. If you change your mind and decide you want to talk, I'll be by the bar," he said as he turned to go inside.

Ayane stared after him as he walked away. When he entered the building, she let out a deep sigh.

"Finally, peace and quiet," she muttered to herself.

She watched intently as the sun slowly crept over the horizon and flooded the small island in its golden light.

By eight o'clock, all the girls were up and roaming around the hotel, preparing themselves for the bright warm day ahead of them. Jack was in the restaurant on the roof, which was pretty empty. Since the casino was closed for the day, he figured he'd grab a bite to eat.

As he took a seat at one of the white picnic tables, Kasumi stepped out of the elevator and spotted him. Jack smiled and waved at her.

"Hey, want to join me?"

Her lips parted in a bright smile and she gave a nod as she walked towards him. Jack was amazed at the way she always remained so optimistic. As she took a seat across from him, he handed her a spare menu.

"You've eaten here before, right? Any recommendations?"

Kasumi nodded. "Try the western omelet. I love it."

"Okay, I'll take your word for it," Jack said with a grin.

As they were about to go place their order, the island quaked fiercely knocking empty chairs and tables over, breaking several plates.

"What was that?!" Kasumi asked, dropping the menu on the table top.

"I think it was an earthquake," Jack answered, "Go get the others and get out of the hotel. Head for the airport, just in case it gets serious. I'll go talk to Zack and see what's up. I'll meet you there when I'm finished, okay?"

Kasumi nodded. "Okay. Be careful."

Jack almost looked happy. This had been the first sign of any action as long as he'd been here, and he always was a sucker for action. Kasumi looked at him strangely before running to find the others.

He walked into the elevator and punched the button for Zack's suite, hoping the idiot was awake. He knocked for several moments before throwing propriety out the window and barging into the room.

"Zack, wake up!" he yelled as he shoved the sleeping man.

Zack pushed his head under a pillow and muttered several colorful swear words. Another quake rocked through the hotel, causing the windows to vibrate and the pictures on the wall to fall to the floor and onto Zack's sleeping frame.

"What the--? What's going on here?!" he yelled as he finally snapped awake.

"We've got a problem, Zack. I think the volcano is about to blow."

Zack laughed. "You're kidding, right?

"Does it look like I'm kidding?"

Zack sighed. "It's been doing that for a while. Although not nearly as violently as this. Still, it'll last until tomorrow. Now let me sleep."

"I don't think it can wait 'til tomorrow," Jack said, "We should evacuate everyone now to be safe."

"If you leave now you can consider yourself fired. If I wait I can get all my money out on the next plane," Zack said.

"You can't put the lives of everyone here at risk for a hundred million dollars. If you want to die that's fine, but you're not taking me with you. All the women are probably at the airport now. I consider their lives more important than cash. I'm sorry you don't feel the same way."

"You're being ridiculous, Jack. It's not going to do anything."

As if the volcano was listening to their conversation, the building brutally convulsed breaking windows and causing a balcony to crash to the ground below. shattering on a cluster of rocks.

"Look at the place Zack! It's going to fall apart at any minute. I'm leaving with or without you."

Zack just gave him an amused look as he stormed out of the room. Then he rolled over and went back to sleep.

Jack rushed out of the hotel and grabbed the nearest bike. The airport was roughly thirty minutes away. As he hopped on the shiny red bicycle, he hoped that the girls were safe, especially Kasumi.

* * *

Kasumi watched the sidewalk with nervous anticipation, waiting for any sign of Jack, or anyone else to approach the airport. Finally, she spotted him as he blazed over the hill on a cherry red mountain bike.

"Here he comes!" yelled Tina from inside the plane.

"I see him. Tell the pilot to get ready for take off," Kasumi replied.

"But we don't even know if we have to take off yet," Leifang argued with her usual vibrant energy.

"Where's Zack?" Lisa asked, a look of concern written on her face. "Does anyone see him?"

Kasumi shook her head. All she could see was Jack's rapid approach down the hill. He was by himself.

"I don't know where he is," she said, "Just start the plane. We have to be prepared to leave."

Ayane walked over towards the group from where she had been standing by herself. "Don't listen to her. Wait for Jack to tell us what's going on."

Jack arrived and skidded to a halt by the plane, leaving a long black mark on the clean sidewalk. Most of the girls were outside arguing and Tina was standing in the doorway of the small white plane, also bickering. Kasumi was trying fervently to keep the peace, but she was doing a miserable job. He had to smile at her efforts as he got off the bike.

"What are you waiting for? Start the plane. We've got to get out of here!" he yelled.

"But what about Zack?" Lisa asked.

"He would rather die rich than leave poor," Jack said bluntly. "He's going to wait until tomorrow when he can get all of his money off the island on a bigger plane. That greedy little..."

"Well, can't we wait, too?" Helena asked, brushing her long blonde bangs out of her face.

Jack shook his head. "I don't think we have until tomorrow. I wouldn't be surprised if it blew right now. Start the plane."

Kasumi looked at Jack with her bright copper eyes, knowing that he was dead serious. "I think he's right," she said, "We had better leave now. Better safe than sorry right?"

"Figures. Something like this always happens," Ayane complained as she climbed into the plane.

After everyone was inside, another quake decimated the airport's hangar just as the plane rolled out. As soon as the small plane was in the air, the volcano coughed ash and chunks of flaming rocks into the air. Above the hotel a person with a jetpack could barely be made out.

"Looks like Zack decided to leave after all," Jack chuckled, oblivious to the fact that it wasn't Zack who was flying away.

Kasumi looked like she was going to be sick. She closed her eyes and leaned back into her seat, gripping the armrests tightly.

Jack saw this and nudged her with his elbow. "Hey, are you going to be okay, Kasumi?"

She nodded and swept her long red hair away from her face. "Where are we going?"

"We'll land in Hawaii and let everyone catch a plane home. I'll pay for the tickets."

The ride was long and miserable. Ayane continued to sulk in the back of the small plane, refusing to speak with anyone. Kasumi tried unsuccessfully to get some sleep, but at every slight bump she started awake, her heart racing and her body primed to fight. Jack often wondered what kind of life she must live to sleep so lightly. Helena was always complaining and whining about how small the plane was and what the humidity was doing to her hair. Leifang, Tina, Lisa, and Hitomi were playing cards near the front of the fuselage. Christie was looking out the window at the deep blue sea below, lost in her own thoughts.

* * *

When they landed in Hawaii, everyone said goodbye and thanked Jack for their tickets home. Then they split up and went to their separate terminals. Jack bought his own ticket to Japan and walked into the crowded waiting area. His flight left in about an hour.

He couldn't wait to get back to his dinky little apartment. He had moved to Japan after his private investigation firm in Los Angeles had gone under from poor bookkeeping. It had turned out that his partner, who he had trusted with the cash, had been stealing money from him. Soon, they were bankrupt and Jack had no other option than selling all of his stuff and starting over. He had always been fascinated with Japan and decided to move there and try to find something worthwhile to do. But it seemed like he had been going nowhere fast, until he stumbled upon an ad stating that the winner of DOA3 wanted to hire personnel for his new island resort. Jack couldn't pass up an opportunity like this, so he responded to the ad right away. Zack had been so impressed with his skills that he gave Jack the job of being the head of security for the casino. He needed the money so it worked out for the best.

Jack snapped out of his reverie as Kasumi sat down next to him, carrying only a single black duffel bag and a crumpled plane ticket.

"You live in Japan?" she asked.

"Yeah. I moved there after my business in the U.S. fell apart not too long ago."

She smiled and gave a slight nod. "I'm surprised. I thought you lived in America. Because of your accent. What area do you live in?"

"There's a small city at the foot of the mountains by a large forest. I still can't really pronounce the name, but that's where I live. I think its called Okashima, or something along those lines."

"I know of that town. It's beautiful in the autumn."

Jack nodded. "I know. So where do you live?" Jack said.

"I can't really say." Kasumi looked sadly at the floor.

"Why not?" Jack asked, his voice full of concern and curiosity.

"It could be dangerous to tell you where I stay. There are certain people that are after me, and...well, I'm just trying to be careful. Sorry."

"It's okay, Kasumi. If you need any help, I'd be more than happy--"

"No!" she interrupted. "You can't do anything anyway. Thanks for the offer, but I'll be fine."

Jack was puzzled. Why would anyone refuse help? "Well, if you change your mind, you can always come to me, okay? I'll do whatever I can."

"That's very kind of you."

They got up as their flight number was called out. On the way home, they talked often about many things. Jack told Kasumi about his private eye firm and why he had moved to Japan. He told her about how he got his job as security guard and she told him about her experiences with the DOA tournaments. Jack sensed that there was bigger story than what she was telling him, but when he asked deeper questions she was very vague. He sensed she really did want to tell him more, but something held her back. When the trip came to an end, Jack was surprised to see her stop at the same destination as him.

"So you live around here?" he asked.

Kasumi shrugged. "I guess I live all over this area."

This was great. If she lived close by, he could look into her problem. Maybe he could even start another private investigation firm.

"I'd really like to see you again, Kasumi. Maybe we could hang out sometime?"

Kasumi flashed her dazzling smile. "I'd like that. I'd like that a lot, Jack."

Jack wrote down his number on a piece of crumpled paper and handed it to her. "This is my number. I hope you'll give me a call."

She took the paper and gently placed in her pocket. "Of course I will. I'll talk to you soon."

Jack nodded. "Sounds good. See you around."

Jack hailed a cab, and offered to share it with her, but she politely refused, saying she'd rather walk home.

The truth was she was embarrassed and didn't want her new friend to know how she lived and where, thinking that it might put him in danger or push him away. As she walked home, she thought about Jack and couldn't wait to see him again.


	3. Chapter Two

**DISCLAIMER:** I DO NOT OWN ANY DEAD OR ALIVE CHARACTER. THOSE CHARACTERS BELONG TO TECMO, LTD. AND TEAM NINJA. I AM IN NO WAY INTENDING ANY COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT AND I'M NOT MAKING A PROFIT FROM THE USE OF THESE CHARACTERS. ANY CHARACTER NOT A PART OF DEAD OR ALIVE IS MINE AND MINE ALONE.

**Chapter Two**

_Day before Kasumi's capture..._

_Sunday, December 11_

_11:58 P.M._

_Jack's Apartment_

Kasumi and Jack stayed in close contact over the next five months and became very good friends. She never said much about her personal life or problems, trying her best to keep Jack oblivious to her personal dilemma. Jack had noticed that she had often seemed depressed and distant, but whenever he asked about it she usually tried to make up a quick excuse or ignore the question and move on to another subject.

One time, Jack used some of his old investigation tactics to try to figure out the situation, but he couldn't find anything. Not just on her immediate problems, but on her actual existence. It was like she just appeared one day, out of thin air. He was suspicious at first, and decided to talk to Kasumi about it. But when he saw her, he just couldn't bring himself to ruin her day with his snooping. It was one of those rare days when she was in high spirits, trying her best to have fun and ignore anything else. He just couldn't take that away from her, so he left it alone, trusting that she would tell him when she was ready.

However, the past week they had been hanging out together he noticed that Kasumi wasn't herself. She didn't look like she had been sleeping well and she was always watching her back. Jack could clearly see that behind her beautiful copper eyes, something dark was plaguing her thoughts. He had learned not to bug her about it, knowing that she'd only ask what he was talking about or deny whatever he thought it was. But he didn't fail to hide his discontent at her secrecy, wishing she'd just let him in. It was roughly midnight when she called on that stormy Sunday night.

The thunder split the air as Jack answered his phone. "Hello?"

Kasumi heard his tired voice drift through the ear piece of the pay phone, but said nothing as she stood in the cold rain, wondering if she should bother Jack with her plight.

"Hello?" he repeated.

There was a sound on the other end of the line, then finally Kasumi responded. "Jack, I need your help," she said reluctantly. "I didn't want to bother you, but--"

"Kasumi? Where are you? Is everything okay?"

She paused a moment. "No, it isn't." Jack noticed a slight waver in her voice, and he could tell she was tired. "I need you to meet me at the old parking garage on the edge of the forest. Can you make it?"

"Sure. What time do you have in mind?" Jack asked as he sat up in bed, rubbing his dark brown eyes.

A loud noise crashed through Jack's end of the phone. "Kasumi!"

After a few seconds, her soft voice returned, slightly slurred with exhaustion. "I'm okay, I just tripped on something. I was hoping you could come over now. Is that okay?" The truth was, she had drifted to sleep on her feet and fell against the pay phone she was using, dropping the receiver on the ground.

Jack nodded as a bolt of lighting flashed brightly outside his window. "Don't worry. I'll be there in about fifteen minutes."

"I appreciate it, Jack. I've gotta go." Her voice immediately changed tones from being distressed to being relieved.

He heard a distinct click as she quickly hung up the phone.

This was very strange. It wasn't like Kasumi to call in the middle of the night. Jack scrambled out of his big bed and hastily put on a dark blue shirt and a pair of old jeans. After he had put on his black boots, he grabbed his black leather jacket. As he ran through his kitchen, he reached into a nearby drawer and grabbed his dark black 9mm Beretta pistol. He checked the load and rushed out the door heading for the elevator in his building. It was always best to be prepared for anything on a night like this.

Soon, he was in his green Jeep Wrangler and driving through the torrential rain towards the old parking garage. It had been abandoned about a year back when the local paper refinery burnt down. He remembered that day well because it happened around the time he arrived in Japan. The refinery's ruins were soon taken over by the forest vegetation and the garage was covered with thick vines, inhabited by all kinds of local wildlife. Although there weren't many trees at the site yet, the undergrowth was so thick that any signs of any ruins being there were hard to find, unless you knew what you were looking for. Fortunately, Jack knew where to look.

As he pulled the Jeep onto the scarcely visible road leading to the refinery, Jack spotted the parking garage in the bright beams of his headlights. The walls were covered with graffiti and the main entrance had long ago collapsed on itself, so he had to go around to the side of the building an park his car. With his pistol in one hand and a small penlight in the other, Jack got out of his Jeep and into the pouring rain. He clicked the light on and searched for a point of entry. After a few minutes of wading through the thick mud, he located a large hole big enough for him to squeeze through.

He scrambled through the hole and took a moment to observe his surroundings. The second level had a large opening in the floor, exposing the rusted metal frame of the condemned structure. The concrete support columns of the lower level were cracked, and the floor was covered with vines and roots. He saw miniature waterfalls flowing down from the damaged roof and into the garage, making large puddles on the cold floor. He quietly stepped past a big rusty sign the had an arrow pointing to the remains of an old security checkpoint. He walked slowly and with his weapon ready, being careful not to give away his presence. He noticed that it would've been very hard to find anywhere to hide in the area. Maybe that's why Kasumi had picked this location.

After he cleared the first level, Jack walked up the steep ramp leading to the second level, being careful to avoid the broken cables hanging from the ceiling and stepping around holes in the floor. Kasumi was sitting in an old collapsible lawn chair with peeling white paint at the top of the dark ramp, fast asleep. As he approached her, Jack uncocked the Beretta and put it in its holster. Kasumi snapped awake as the slight clicking noise made its way into her ears. Reflexively, she jumped out of the chair poised for attack, instantly sending a fast and powerful kick at where she thought her assailant might be standing.

Jack jumped backwards barely avoiding her swift attack, but still feeling the wind from her leg sweep across his face. Kasumi was just about to strike again when she realized who her 'assailant' was.

"Remind me to never wake you up again," Jack said.

"Oh, it's only you. You scared me," she mumbled drowsily as she sank back into the cold metal chair.

Jack was amazed at her current condition. Her red hair hung heavily around her shoulders, wet from the rain. Her clothes were also soaked from her walk to the pay phone and back to the garage. She was obviously very cold.

Jack took off his leather jacket and wrapped it around her shivering shoulders. "Look at you. You're freezing!"

Kasumi tightly gripped the warm coat around her trembling body. "I'm okay, really."

"Kasumi, I think you should tell me what's going on. You need some help," Jack said warmly.

"Not right now, Jack. There isn't any time. I just want--"

Kasumi stopped mid-sentence when she noticed that Jack had spotted her things lying in a nice little pile next to the cold concrete wall. Her medium sized sleeping bag was neatly rolled up, sitting next the black duffel bag that contained most of her clothing. There was also an small dented space heater pointed towards the chair with the knob cranked all the way up, but Jack saw that it definitely wasn't keeping her warm. Off in the corner there was an old fashioned manual mashing machine, frozen water gathered in the bottom of the tub.

Jack was awe struck. "You live _here_?!"

Kasumi buried her face in her hands to hide her embarrassment, and Jack instantly regretted the remark.

As she took her hands away from her face to tighten the jacket's embrace, Jack noticed the pleading look of desperation in her eyes. "That's sort of why you're here, Jack. It's not safe for me here anymore. Now they know where I am. Can you please lend me some money? Just a little--"

Jack kneeled down in front of the chair and looked her in the eye, placing both of his hands on her quaking shoulders. "Kasumi, why didn't you just tell me about this? You could have always stayed with me." He had noticed the remark about someone knowing where she was, but he decided to wait until she was safe before asking about it.

She sighed and shook her head. "That's so sweet of you, but I could never impose on you like that."

"Kasumi, look at this place!" Jack waved his arms at her stuff and the bedraggled building they were sitting in. "I don't want you to ever think you can't ask me for help. C'mon, I'm taking you back to my place, where it's nice and warm. I have more than enough room and the security in my building is pretty good. Now, let's go before you get hypothermia or something."

"You don't mind then?" she asked, "Just until I can get back on my feet and things cool down here."

"You can stay with me for as long as you need to. I'll get your things," he said.

Jack escorted her to his dark green Jeep waiting outside in the storm and then left to get her stuff. By the time he returned, she was already fast asleep. He started the car and turned towards town. Kasumi woke up frequently, but after she remembered where she was, she relaxed and drifted back into a restless sleep.

When they got back to Jack's apartment it was roughly two in the morning. He gently shook her shoulder, ready to dodge a punch. But she woke up easily and didn't even raise a finger at him. "Are we there already?"

Jack nodded. "Yep. Let's go sleepy head."

He led her up to his apartment and opened the door, waving her in ahead of him. Kasumi groggily walked inside and looked around the cozy room. There was a lush green fern in the corner by a crystal clear window. Next to the wall opposite the window there was a large plush brown couch and a black leather recliner with a television set sitting directly in front of them. The living room was directly connected to the kitchen and there was a short hall leading out of the room towards the back of the apartment. She took off Jack's leather jacket and hung it on the coat rack by the door. Then she peeled her damp pink sweater off and hung it up as well.

"You can stay in my room. It's always warmer back there."

Kasumi shook her head. "I couldn't--"

"Don't worry about it. I really don't care where I sleep. I stay on the couch half the time anyway. Follow me."

She nodded and followed him down the short hallway to where his bedroom was. He straightened a few things up and pointed towards the bed. As she sat down on the mattress to take off her soaked shoes, Jack took a large black T-shirt from his dresser and handed it to her along with a pair of gray sweats.

"Here, change into these and let me dry your other clothes."

Kasumi eagerly took the soft dry clothes from Jack's outstretched arms. He turned away as she changed, and took her moist clothing to where he kept the rest of his laundry, ready to be washed in the morning.

"I'll give you the grand tour in the morning, but you look tired now and you should probably get some sleep," he said.

As Kasumi climbed underneath the thick warm comforter, she was at a loss for words. It was too much. As Jack turned out the light and started out of the room she finally spoke. "Thanks so much. You have no idea how much this means to me."

"It's no problem. Sleep tight," he said as he walked out of the room.

He looked back one last time before returning to the living room and noticed she was already sound asleep once again.

* * *

­­_Monday, December 12_

_11:16 A.M._

_Jack's Apartment_

Kasumi's eyes fluttered open as she awakened to the smell of something delicious cooking in the kitchen. She sat up and stretched her arms high above her head. Jack smiled as she groggily walked into the kitchen from the back room.

"Morning. Did you sleep well?" he asked.

"Yeah." She couldn't remember when she had last slept so well. She didn't have to worry about the assassins or an animal attacking her in her sleep. And for the first time in weeks she hadn't been kept awake by the frigid temperatures of the outdoors. It was truly wonderful.

"Well, I'm making us some breakfast, and the coffee will be ready in a minute. I like it strong, so I have a lot of cream for guests," he said.

She nodded and walked over to the table and took a seat in one of the two chairs.

Jack finished stirring the gravy and sat down across from her. "Kasumi, we have to talk. If you're going to stay here I need you to tell me what's going on. Last night you said someone knew where you were, like you were being hunted down. I'm concerned about you," Jack said warmly, hoping that he wouldn't upset her.

Kasumi looked down at the table. "I can't tell you. You couldn't understand."

"How do you know I won't if you ever say anything to me?"

"Where's the bathroom?" she asked, trying to ignore Jack's last remark.

He sighed. "It's down the hall, first door to the left."

"Thanks," she said, as she got up and walked away.

Jack didn't understand. Didn't she trust him at all? This problem appeared to be very serious, yet she wouldn't accept any offer for help. Wouldn't someone with a serious problem be asking for help instead of rejecting it?

The biscuits and gravy he was making were finished now and the bacon was done too. He fixed a plate for Kasumi and himself and put them on the table. She walked out of the bathroom dressed in a clean white T-shirt and a long blue skirt, finishing tying her long red hair back with her golden ribbon. When she spotted the plate of food on the table, she just stared at it.

"Is something wrong?"

Kasumi shook her head. "No, no. It looks great."

It looked better than great. All she had eaten for the last two weeks was fish from a nearby stream and some cold vegetables.

Jack watched with worry as she ate her food. She ate as though she had been starving, and maybe she had been for all he knew. However, she looked way too healthy to be short on food. Still, he was a little concerned.

"I'm not going to give up on this, Kasumi. You need to tell someone what's happening," he said.

"Jack, I can't. I...I..." Kasumi closed her eyes against the tears that were building up behind them.

"Never mind. Just enjoy your breakfast. I've got some errands to run but I'll be back by around three thirty. Stay here and don't open the door for _anyone_," Jack said as he got up from the table.

"I'll be here when you get back."

She watched him walk out of the door, with the distinct feeling that she had hurt her friend. She didn't want him to think she didn't trust him, it's just that if anyone ever found out about the Shinobi village, she would always blame herself. She couldn't stand that kind of guilt. It would be far worse than what she felt now, so she had to keep quiet. And if she mentioned the fact that they were hunting her down, it would only cause trouble. It was safer to just say nothing, than to talk and endanger Jack's life.

She finished her breakfast and cleaned up the dishes. It was almost a quarter until noon now. Had she really slept in that late? Kasumi shrugged and decided to watch a little TV until Jack returned.

When Jack finally returned from his trip through town, he found Kasumi asleep on the couch, the TV turned on and the window was open. He noticed that she had cleaned up the dishes and was grateful for that. It just made him feel even worse about how he had been grilling her for answers, especially after the hard night she had been through. He set the bag of groceries he was carrying on the table and proceeded to put them away.

"You're late," Kasumi said drowsily from behind him.

Jack looked over to the digital clock on the microwave, which read four thirty. "I guess I am. Traffic in town is thick right now. You know how it is when everyone gets off work."

She got up and walked into the kitchen. "Jack, I trust you with my life. You do know that don't you?"

"Yeah, I do. I just can't figure out why you won't tell me about your problem. I only want to help you."

Kasumi sighed. "I'm afraid that someone might find out what I tell you. I could never forgive myself if this information got out."

"I promise on my own life that I will never say a word to anyone," Jack said.

"It's not that you would tell, because I know you would never do anything like that. But someone could always be listening. It's just too dangerous to talk about it, with you or anyone else. Please understand."

Jack nodded. "Don't worry, Kasumi, I understand completely. I don't want to put you in any kind of danger, so I promise that I'll stop pestering you about it. I hope that I wasn't making you too upset."

She shook her head. "Not at all. I know you were just trying to help, but it would be better for both of us if we just dropped the subject."

Jack was about to say something, when the fern in the living room fell over and made a loud crash.

"Go hide in the closet," he whispered in Kasumi's ear as he reached into a drawer and grabbed his pistol.

She nodded and quietly made her way towards the end of the hall.

He knew that she could easily defeat any common thief but the whole point of her being here was to hide her. He walked into the living room with his weapon ready and looked for any evidence of someone being there. Jack closed the window, put his gun back and went back to the closet in the rear of the hall.

"It's all clear. I guess it was the wind. I forgot to tell you not to open the window. The heating bill here is through the roof," Jack said.

Kasumi stood up and walked out of the small space. "I thought you opened the window when you got back."

"No, I didn't touch it."

That meant that someone knew she was here. She felt so despaired and trapped inside. Was there nowhere she could turn? Was there no escape from them? She couldn't return to the garage, but she couldn't stay here either.

Jack caught her hopeless expression an placed his hand on her shoulder. "It's okay. I locked the window and I always lock the door. You're safe here."

She'd be careless to stay, but it did sound convincing. The Shinobi didn't have many locks in the village, so they wouldn't really know how to pick them. And they rarely came to town, except when they needed supplies.

Kasumi relaxed and Jack grabbed a red deck of cards from the tile counter top.

"Hey, let's play some cards for a while. I want to see if you still have any skills left from Zack Island."

Kasumi smiled brightly. "You're on, Jack. Prepare to lose."

They played for hours, and Kasumi was clearly winning. But Jack kept demanding rematches, and she kept beating him. But he didn't mind, as long as it kept her focus off of the harsh reality she was stuck in. Besides, even when he lost a game, he was rewarded with her sparkling smile or a joyous laugh, which made it all worthwhile. It was about nine o'clock when they called it quits.

"I guess it's not too late to order out. Are you very hungry?" Jack asked.

Kasumi nodded. "Yeah. I haven't eaten since noon. What do you plan on getting?"

"How about Chinese?"

"Sounds delicious. Listen, I'm going to go for a walk. I need to get some fresh air and clear my head. I should be back in about thirty minutes, though. Don't start eating without me, okay?" she asked.

Jack gave her a strange look. "Isn't that kind of risky?"

"Don't worry. You know I can take care of myself in a fight, and if I run into any serious trouble, I know every hiding spot on this side of the mountain. I'll be fine."

Jack accepted the response and picked up the phone. "Be careful."

Kasumi nodded and grabbed her pink sweater as she walked out of the door.

* * *

_Monday, December 12_

_10:52 P.M._

_Forest Park_

It had been nearly two hours since Kasumi had left Jack's apartment to take her walk, and she hadn't returned yet. Worried, Jack had been combing the area for any signs of trouble, but the search did nothing but frustrate him, and fuel his guilt.

_I should've gone with her_, he thought to himself. _I knew the risks, but I still let her go alone. How could I have done that?_

Of course, he had assumed she stayed in town and hadn't gone into the forest, because of the imminent danger it would have held, but maybe he was wrong. Finally, he decided to head back to his apartment and look for her again in the morning, but he wasn't happy about the decision. He could barely sleep that night because he felt so awful for not continuing his search, but there was nothing he could do that night. Unless he wanted to freeze to death in the cold dark woods.

The next morning he resolved to check in the woods closest to the edge of town. He knew there was a path at the local park that lead straight into the forest. Since it was closest to the apartments, he thought that it would be most likely that she would go there if she went into the woods at all.

As Jack slowly walked on the forest path, he almost immediately found what he had been searching for. Not twenty feet from rocky the path, lay her pink sweater, bunched up in a ball. Quickly, he ran over to investigate the scene, hoping that there would be some kind of clue telling him where she was and if she was okay. He scanned the ground closely and spotted several large footprints, and a few matching Kasumi. Something bad had happened here and he was going to find out what it was, and for Kasumi's sake, he hoped that would be soon.


	4. Chapter Three

**DISCLAIMER:** I DO NOT OWN ANY DEAD OR ALIVE CHARACTER. THOSE CHARACTERS BELONG TO TECMO, LTD. AND TEAM NINJA. I AM IN NO WAY INTENDING ANY COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT AND I'M NOT MAKING A PROFIT FROM THE USE OF THESE CHARACTERS. ANY CHARACTER NOT A PART OF DEAD OR ALIVE IS MINE AND MINE ALONE.

**Chapter Three**

_Tuesday, December 13_

_9:27 A.M._

_Organization Compound 21_

Her throat was dry and scratchy and Kasumi longed desperately for a drink of water. Her headache had evolved from a dull pounding to an intense skull splitting throb, and she had to keep her eyes closed so the light from the overhead fluorescent lights wouldn't bother her too badly. Even so, it was still very painful.

She had spent the night in the cold prison without any heat, so between that and her headache, she hadn't slept much. It was still very cold in the small room, but she had learned to deal with it. But she regretted the loss of her sweater in the woods last night, because now the only things to keep her warm now was her white T-shirt and a long blue skirt.

The door creaked on it's old hinges as it was slowly opened. She opened her eyes to try to see who it was and immediately winced as a brilliant overhead spotlight was switched on, the extremely bright light flooding into her unprepared eyes. She let out a sharp gasp as the glaring light made her headache almost unbearable and she quickly closed her eyes once again.

"So how's our lovely runaway doing this fine morning hour? I'm sorry if it got a bit cold in here last night, but it seems that I 'forgot' to turn on the heat."

She recognized Smith's voice immediately.

"Oh, it's you again," Kasumi said with clear contempt, trying to hide the fact that she was freezing.

"Don't you like me? I'm so hurt," Smith said in a mocking tone. "Shark is running a little late, so we'll have to wait until later to have our little conversation. Are you hungry?" he asked.

Kasumi opened her watering eyes just long enough to see Smith reveal a large sub sandwich he had been holding. It looked so good, and it was then that Kasumi realized how hungry she actually was. After waving it in front of her face tauntingly, he took a big bite out of the juicy sub. Kasumi watched angrily as he slowly finished the sandwich, making sure that she watched every bite. When he was finished he made a satisfied grin and smacked his lips.

"That hit the spot. Sorry, I forgot to bring one for you," Smith gloated. "Oh well, such is life. Shark should be here in a couple hours, so just sit tight."

"Just tell me what you want to know and we can avoid this mess," Kasumi said, her teeth chattering from the cold.

Smith grinned. "I want to know the exact location of the Shinobi village."

Kasumi failed to hide her expression of unwillingness and surprise. She could never tell a man such as Smith the location. He would destroy everything she held so dear in her heart. What really bugged her was the fact that he knew there was a village in the first place.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She hoped he would fall for her little act, but he didn't.

"Don't play dumb with me!" he yelled angrily. "I know you're one of them!"

Kasumi involuntarily flinched as the loud noise intensified her headache.

"I really don't have any idea what you mean," she said after the pounding in her head had finally subsided. She knew it was a lame attempt, but she had to pretend she didn't know anything, for the sake of the village as well as herself. But she was totally unprepared for Smith's reaction.

He said nothing and walked up to her with a blank expression on his face. That's when Kasumi knew she had overstepped some kind of line. Unexpectedly, he raised his arm high above his head and slapped her hard across the face with the back of his hand. The blow was so hard that it spun her head towards the wall opposite of the door. She knew he had left red welt that would eventually bruise.

She kept her head turned away from Smith as she quietly sobbed, not wanting to let him see her cry, but he grabbed her chin with his hand and roughly forced her head around to face him.

He leaned down close to her face and spoke very clearly. "I know who you are, young Kasumi. I know that you left your little village to hunt down your brother's attacker in the first Dead or Alive tournament and much more. So spare me your pathetic lies and talk!"

Kasumi tried to blink away her tears as Smith let go of her face. "If you know so much, you can find the village yourself."

Smith laughed coldly. "It's not that easy, my dear. I may know much about you, but you left the village. I also know much about others, but I got all that information away from the village itself. So I really don't know where your little home is."

She stayed very quiet and tried to stop shivering from the cold, but it was beyond her grasp. The place she had been slapped was stinging badly, but she finally managed to stop weeping.

Smith was becoming impatient so he took out his knife and started to toy with it like he had done before, making sure she saw the gesture. Kasumi closed her eyes and tried to forget he was even there, but she still could hear him laughing. Smith saw her close her eyes, so he placed the cold flat edge of the blade against her face.

"I asked you a question, and I expect to get an answer, one way, or another."

Kasumi held back her fear and spoke in a steady voice. "Why? What is so important about my home?"

Smith removed the blade form against her skin and stood up. "It's really a funny little story. I could've cared less about the village itself, but not too long ago one of my men stumbled onto a vain of gold in that mountain. He was in the middle of telling me all about how he had found riches beyond my wildest dreams, but that some sort of ninja like people seemed to control the area. I was just about to ask where this massive treasure was, when guess what happened?"

Kasumi swallowed hard, but kept silent.

Smith continued. "He was killed. How was he killed, you may be wondering? Well the stupid idiot was careless enough to be sitting in front of an open window and he got shot in the back with a long shafted arrow. When that happened, I devoted much of my time and resources to find out what or who he had been talking about. After much research and....," he paused with a grin, "...underhanded tactics, we learned that a people called Shinobi controlled the mountain. I'll spare you the gruesome details, but the fact of the matter is that I have no clue where to dig. There is at least a billion American dollars worth of gold under that village and I'm going to find it."

"It seems to me," Kasumi said calmly, "that this isn't my problem."

She was surprised Smith's man made it back alive. He must've found another way in. The fact that he had been so close to the village in the first place troubled her.

Smith laughed. "Why do you think I called Shark? He's going to make it your problem."

Kasumi kept her eyes tightly shut against the harsh glare of the spotlight and thought about the village. She couldn't remember any gold nearby, but there were caves all over the area so she couldn't be sure. As for the arrow in the back, it sounded a lot like something Hayate would do. He was an expert shot with a longbow and very rarely missed. She heard Smith walking towards the open door.

"I'll die before I tell you anything!" she yelled after him with a slightly wavering voice.

Smith slowly turned to face her and regarded her with his cold gray eyes. "Careful what you wish for, young lady." And with those chilling words he left her alone in the cold, once again.

* * *

_Tuesday, December 13_

_10:34 A.M._

_Forest Park_

Jack had absolutely no clue what he was searching for or even if there was anything to find. He knew how hard it had been to find out anything about Kasumi, so he didn't know where to begin looking for a way to find her. He had no idea who her enemies might be, or how many of them she had, although he found it hard to believe that a person like her could have any enemies at all. He had a gut feeling this had something to do with her past, but that just made things worse.

As he canvassed the area for clues, Jack thought he spotted some tire tracks in the ground, but the path was far too narrow to get a vehicle into the woods. After looking closer, however, there was no doubt about it. The rain two nights before had made the ground soft, so the tire tracks were clear. Someone must've went through a lot of trouble to conceal a vehicle back here. Maybe he could follow the tracks and get some leads.

He went back to his Jeep and struggled to turn it into the woods, trying to carefully squeeze it between the trees without damaging it. It was times like these that he was glad to have an SUV. After a few minutes of carefully navigating through the thick woods he came to a clearing where he found what he was looking for. There was a dark blue colored van hidden behind some trees about ten feet ahead of where he was now. There were many tree limbs and brush concealing it from view, but he guessed some animal had disturbed some of the branches, revealing some of the glossy paint.

Jack pulled the green Jeep up next to the van and climbed out to investigate. He opened the back of the doors of the van and found some white rope and a couple of leaves. Besides that, the van appeared to be empty. He scoured the front seats for any clues, but found nothing. He noticed some dirty footprints on the carpet in the passenger's side. After looking closer he could make out the same boot print he found in the woods near Kasumi's sweater. He went back to the Jeep and got his digital camera out of the dash. He always carried a camera with him.

"Old habits die hard," he said to himself as he snapped photos of the mysterious van.

As he was taking pictures of the inside of the van, Jack noticed that there was something stuck between the driver's seat and the center console. He tried to pull it out, but it was stuck tight. But he was determined to pry it loose, knowing that Kasumi's life could be hanging in the balance. Finally, he managed to jerk it free. It looked like some kind of disk or memory chip from a computer. He was surprised that they would be so careless as to leave this here where someone could find it, but he was grateful. After he finished shooting photos of the outside of the van, he decided to go back to his apartment and check out the disc he had found.

When he arrived back at his apartment he retrieved his laptop from its hiding place under his bedroom floor, thinking that he had finally found something that could take him to Kasumi. He plugged the chip into his laptop to see if there was anything useful on it, but after he had loaded it up he found only an extensive map of the mountain and the surrounding forest. Disappointed, Jack let out a deep sigh. Maps like these were found everywhere around downtown Okashima. There was nothing special about it. There were no markers or paths that were highlighted, or symbols indicating any locations. It was very strange.

"This can't be everything," Jack muttered.

He looked all over the map, trying to find _anything_. After about half an hour of searching, Jack noticed a bug in the map. It seemed like there was some other files on the disk, but he couldn't find any way to access them. Finally he found a small icon located in the menu bar of the map's window. When clicked on by the mouse, the icon flashed brightly and then the screen went blank. A few seconds later, a lot of encrypted nonsense appeared. It seemed to be encrypted in a code that none of his software could unscramble. He wasn't surprised though. If there was something there, he figured it would be encoded or something. Nobody would leave important information just sitting around like that.

After a while he decided he needed a break and went out to eat lunch. On the way to his favorite pizza place he recognized a familiar character leaving the nearby general store. He quickly turned his Jeep into the parking lot and stopped right in front of her. She looked curiously at the dark Jeep and then she spotted Jack as he opened the door.

"It's you again?" Ayane groaned. "What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in the States?"

Jack looked at her. "I live here. What are _you_ doing here?"

"Wouldn't you like to know," she said as she brushed her light purple bangs from her face.

"Did you know that you sister is missing?" Jack asked her.

Ayane smiled. "Oh really, what a shame," she said sarcastically. "Look I don't really feel like standing around and talking with you all day, so if you--"

Jack interrupted her. "She's your sister! Can't you even pretend to care?

Ayane glared at Jack and scoffed. "Why should I? I'm glad she's gone."

She immediately felt a tiny tinge of regret, but quickly shook it off. That meant that Hayate's assassins finally succeeded. That was one less thorn in her side.

Jack was stunned by her response. "I can't believe you just said that."

"Oh, shut up. It's not like she cares about me. This is a bigger situation than you realize. Maybe you should just stay clear, before you get hurt."

Ayane turned and walked away, leaving Jack behind her. Finally she was rid of Kasumi. Hayate must be devastated. _Oh, well,_ she thought, _He'll get over it._

"Like hell I'll stay clear! What's going on here?" Jack demanded from behind her.

"So Kasumi didn't tell you anything?" Ayane said. "Why am I not surprised? Sorry to disappoint you, Jack, but I'm not saying anything either. There's nothing you can do for her now, so you might as well just give up."

"What are you talking about?!"

Ayane sighed. "Do I have to spell it out for you? She's gone and she isn't coming back."

Jack refused to accept Ayane's response. "I don't believe you."

Ayane laughed. "That's your choice."

Jack watched as Ayane left the parking lot and headed out to the forest. She knew something about Kasumi's location, of that Jack was certain. It was sad, though, that Ayane could hate her sister so much that she was willing to let Kasumi die. He felt sorry for her, but there didn't seem to be anything he could do but start trouble. He went back to his Jeep and continued to the restaurant, hoping that the day would turn around.

* * *

_Tuesday, December 13_

_5:42 P.M._

_Mugen Tenshin Village_

As Ayane walked into the village, she spotted Ryu Hayabusa walking down path leading into the forest lost deep in his own thoughts.

"How's Hayate doing? Is he really upset?" Ayane asked, grinning.

Hayabusa wore a blank expression. "No, why should he be?"

Ayane's grin vanished. "Because Kasumi's finally been killed. Don't you know that?"

"I don't think so, Ayane. If she were dead, I would be the first know."

Ayane hid her confusion. "But I got information that she has disappeared when I was in town. That could only mean that the assassins have succeeded, right? She has to be gone!"

"Not necessarily, Ayane," he said. "Go home. I will talk to Hayate."

Ayane glared at him and walked towards her home in the Hajinmon Village. She knew it must've happened. It had to have happened.

Hayabusa walked calmly up to the dojo where Hayate was supervising a class of young ninjas as they practiced their sword fighting techniques. He tapped his old friend on the shoulder and asked him to come outside where they could speak privately.

"What is it, Ryu?" Hayate asked, immediately sensing something was off..

Hayabusa thought about how to phrase the question without upsetting his long time friend. Finally, he just decided to be blunt.

"Is Kasumi dead, Hayate?"  
Hayate shifted his weight. "No, we haven't located her yet. Why?"

"Because Ayane claims that she knows Kasumi is missing. She says she heard it while she was in town getting supplies. And I thought that if you hadn't got her, then someone else does. Which means...."

"....the village is in danger. Do you know for sure if she's gone? You know how hard she can be to find," Hayate asked.

"Ayane may be a lot of things, but I've never found her to be a liar. She wouldn't have said anything unless she was relatively certain."

Hayate trusted his friend with his life and he quickly accepted the idea that Kasumi was a liability now more than ever. "I think we should double the perimeter security and keep an eye out for anything strange. I need to stay here, so could you go to town and see what information you can dig up?" Hayate asked.

"No problem."

As Hayabusa started to walk away, Hayate stopped him. "Do you think she's really dead, Ryu?"

"I don't know. It's possible, and we both knew this had to happen someday. You had better go tell Ayame the bad news."

Hayate nodded.

Hayabusa walked off towards the Hajinmon village, hoping Ayane was in her house and not out in the forest pouting. If he had to get information on Kasumi's vanishing act, he figured that she would be a good place to start asking questions.

When he arrived, Hayabusa knocked loudly on her door, and was about to walk in when she angrily opened the door.

"What?" she asked irritably

"How exactly did you find out Kasumi was missing?" he asked her.

"Hello to you too, Hayabusa."

"How did you find out, Ayane?"

She sighed. "It's a long story."

"I'm not going anywhere," he said as he walked in and took a seat on the floor.

Ayane closed the door. "Okay, well there was this guy named Jack Wallace that worked as the head of security at the Zack Island Casino. He and Kasumi were good friends from what I gathered and I guess they didn't lose touch over the months because when I ran into him today at the store, he was really upset. He cut me off with his car and asked if I knew anything about Kasumi's disappearance."

Hayabusa's emerald eyes bored into her. "You're positive that he knows she's gone. Is he a reliable source?"

"Well, whenever we talked before he always told the truth, although we didn't talk often. But he wouldn't have any reason to lie about something like this, and he wasn't pretending to be concerned. I assume that he's reliable. As far as I know, he doesn't know anything about the Shinobi or Kasumi's history, because he demanded to know what was going on."

"What did you say?" Hayabusa asked.

"I told him to leave it alone. I don't think he will though."

Hayabusa nodded and got up. "What did he look like?"

Ayane rolled her eyes and looked at her brother's friend. "He has short dark spiked hair and he's about your height. He was probably a few years younger than you, maybe twenty. I didn't really memorize him or anything."

"If you remember anything else, tell Hayate," Hayabusa said as he walked to the door.

"Where are you going?" Ayane demanded.

"To investigate."

Hayabusa left to get his things, then he set out on the long forest trail into town.

* * *

_Tuesday, December 13_

_6:25 P.M._

_Organization Compound 21_

Kasumi had been surprised when she first saw Shark. She expected a rough looking ex-convict type of guy, but instead he looked more like a business man from the city. He wore a dark black suit and shiny leather dress shoes. He had a clean white shirt underneath his jacket, with a black tie around his neck. His hair was the color of dark sand and his eyes were a cold blue.

She knew he was vile and deceptive and that she was going to have a hard keeping her secret safe. Smith and Shark walked into the room and pulled up the two chairs by the steel table and sat down. Smith was playing with his sharp knife and Shark just sat there, with a blank expression on his face.

"If you talk now, Shark won't have to bring in his cart. You don't want that to happen, trust me. I've seen him do some unimaginable things with that cart, and you _don't_ want to find out what they are."

Kasumi squinted against the light and swallowed hard, a nervous lump in her throat. She would never tell them anything, but how could she face someone like Shark and not say anything? With much courage, she remained silent.

Smith looked at Shark, clearly disapproving of Kasumi's decision. "Go easy on her for now, okay?"

Shark never changed his stoic expression. He simply nodded and went outside to retrieve the cart.

Smith looked down at Kasumi with a dark smile on his face. "You'll wish you had said something, I guarantee that. I almost feel sorry for you, but I will have that money, and no one will stop me."

As Smith walked out, Shark wheeled in a medium sized metal cart with various needles and vials on one side. She looked at the other side and almost started crying at the sight of some of the horrible utensils. They looked like they had been crafted with one purpose in mind: to cause maximum pain without causing maximum damage. There seemed to be two levels to the cart but the bottom was hidden by the white sheet that was draped over it, so she couldn't see what else was inside it. But for that she was somewhat grateful.

"You're not actually going to...you know..." Kasumi asked nervously.

"Torture you?" Shark asked seriously.

Kasumi gave a meek nod.

Shark laughed. "Torture is such a _strong_ word. I prefer to call it 'physical interrogation.' But I don't like working on women, so just start talking before I really have to do some damage."

Kasumi was scared before when Smith had slapped her, but now she was utterly terrified. "No!"

Shark ignored her as he turned to his cart and began sorting through the various items trying to determine which one to break her in with. Finally he decided to start with some chemicals.

Kasumi struggled against the cuffs, afraid for her life, but they didn't budge an inch. Shark turned back to face her. "Just tell me where to find the village, and I won't hurt you."

"I can't say anything. Just let me go!" Kasumi pleaded, tears forming in her eyes.

Shark shook his head and grabbed a vial full of a neon yellow colored liquid and a needle. He grabbed her arm roughly and prepared to stick the needle into her skin, but she fought him. Eventually, he was forced to grab her so hard that it left bruises from his fingers on her arm. He then stuck the syringe into her arm and injected the yellow fluid into her system.

At first she didn't feel anything, but after about a minute her arm burned as though it were on fire. Then it slowly spread through her body until it exploded in her head. Her splitting headache felt like a gentle massage compared with what she felt now. She saw a flash of intense color fill the room and then her vision began to blur with tears of anguish.

"Please!" she sobbed. "Make it stop!"

"Just tell me what I want to know and it will all go away." Shark said.

"Never!" she said through clenched teeth.

The pain intensified steadily until, about ten minutes later, it subsided. As the pain went away, Kasumi started breathing like she had just run five miles, exhausted from the way she had tensed all of her muscles at once. Her arms and legs were sore from the exertion and she felt a lot like a wet noodle.

Shark saw that the drug had worn off, so he filled the syringe once again, making sure that Kasumi saw him.

"Do you want to try some more?" Shark asked.

"No....more...." Kasumi sniffled in between breaths. "Please..."

"Wrong answer."

He grabbed her arm again and Kasumi winced as the fluid was again inserted into her bloodstream. She relived the agonizing burning sensation as it traveled up her arm and into her chest, slowly burning into her heart. As it continued to spread, Kasumi felt more and more like she was being roasted alive in a vat of brimstone. Then it exploded in her skull once more, causing her to inadvertently scream in torment.

Shark watched as she clenched her hands into tight fists and writhe on the table, forcing all of her muscles to work at once. He wouldn't be surprised if she pulled something the way she was acting, but he had seen others do much worse.

"It....burns....," she sobbed, tears streaming down her face.

"Well, of course it does, that's what I made it for. Now talk!"

The pain kept building inside her, and Kasumi's muscles began to feel like they were being shredded apart. When the burning had finally subsided, she went limp, and couldn't move. She barely had the energy to breathe, let alone put up any kind of resistance. Her limbs were so sore that when she tried to move them, it felt like she had been hit by a speeding car. Kasumi lay on the table, freezing, as the cold air combined with her sweat, numbed her entire body.

"Shall we try again?" Shark said as he prepared another needle.


	5. Chapter Four

**DISCLAIMER:** I DO NOT OWN ANY DEAD OR ALIVE CHARACTER. THOSE CHARACTERS BELONG TO TECMO, LTD. AND TEAM NINJA. I AM IN NO WAY INTENDING ANY COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT AND I'M NOT MAKING A PROFIT FROM THE USE OF THESE CHARACTERS. ANY CHARACTER NOT A PART OF DEAD OR ALIVE IS MINE AND MINE ALONE.

**Chapter Four**

_Wednesday, December 14_

_7:43 A.M._

_Near Jack's Apartment_

Hayabusa arrived in town early the following morning. He needed to find this Jack character and see what he knew. There was phone booth nearby, but the phone book was missing. He eventually found one that still had the page he was looking for, and after finding the address he decided to pay him a little visit.

Jack lived in an apartment by in the suburbs, a low-rent district. It should be pretty easy to get inside. He noticed that this guy lived in one of the more secure areas of the neighborhood, which meant that he probably wasn't a bad guy, supporting Ayane's statement. He would watch Jack for a while to see what he was up to and make his move tonight under the cover of darkness. Hayabusa climbed up to the roof of the adjacent building, hid his things and waited for Jack to come outside.

The hours creeped along until around ten thirty, when Ryu spotted a man matching Ayane's description exit the building he was watching. But he could've been mistaken, since her description was pretty vague. He decided to follow him anyway, and see where it took him. He stealthily went down to the street and walked casually behind Jack, far enough away to look inconspicuous.

Jack walked down to the corner of the street, his mind dwelling on the mysterious disk and Kasumi. He looked hopefully at the woods, but he knew that there was nothing there except for the bare trees and wild animals. He was worried that if Kasumi was out there all alone in the frigid forest, how was she staying warm? How was she finding food? Was she hurt and dying somewhere in the forsaken wilderness, or had she left on purpose? Was she even alive?

Jack knew she wouldn't have run away from him, not after the way she had asked for his help the other night. Then he thought about Ayane's harsh words.

_'I'm glad she's gone.'_

It was so sad that Ayane could care so little about her sister's life, but it seemed like there was nothing he could do to change that. Jack was positive that there was something Ayane hadn't told him. Something important. He sighed and walked on, tightening his warm leather jacket around his shoulders, shielding him from the harsh winter wind.

The data on the chip was virtually useless, and he was back at square one unless he could find a way to decrypt the other file he had found, but that seemed impossible. Maybe they left it there to lead him away from the real information he was after, guaranteeing that there could be no distractions while they did whatever they wanted with his best friend. It infuriated him that he was so helpless to save her in her time of dire need. But maybe the disk was their one mistake, and the path to where Kasumi's was lay right in the palm of his hand.

Jack didn't know what to believe. Maybe he should go to the police department, but for all he knew, Kasumi was a fugitive or something. She hadn't told him anything and maybe that was why. But the more he thought about that possibility, the more unlikely it seemed. Kasumi was the sweetest, kindest, and most compassionate person he had met, and there was no way she could commit a crime intentionally, at least not without a very good reason. But in the end, Jack decided against going to the cops. He didn't want to get her in any more trouble than she was already in, so he thought it would be best to keep looking by himself. The photos of the van hadn't shown anything new yet either, but he wasn't done enhancing them. But he was doubtful there was much there.

Suddenly, Jack noticed there was someone following him. Thinking quickly, he turned a corner and walked into the convenience store, acting like that was where he had been planning on going the entire time. The man behind him casually followed, and pretended to be interested in a magazine stand by the door. Jack went into the men's bathroom and locked the door behind him, trying to think of some way to evade the mysterious stranger. After a quick look around, he spotted a window and climbed stealthily out of it and into the back alley.

Whoever was following him must work for the guys that kidnapped Kasumi, and now they were probably after him too, to see if he knew what Kasumi had so earnestly tried to conceal. He decided to find one of his old international contacts, Myamoto, before he was taken as well. After all, what good could he do for Kasumi, if he couldn't help himself? Myamoto was an expert hacker and would make short work of the program on that disc. Jack dusted himself off and walked calmly toward the far end of the cold alley.

Hayabusa cursed himself for being so careless. He should have expected a move like that. He pushed through the doors of the store and ran around to the back of the building, hoping to catch the man before he disappeared for good. The bathroom window was open and the alley was empty.

Now there was absolutely no doubt in his mind that the man he had been following was Jack Wallace. Why else would he have tried to evade him like that? Ryu shrugged and decided to return to the apartments and wait for Jack to return, hoping that he would return soon.

When Hayabusa returned to the apartments, he decided to check out the building so he could determine which apartment Jack lived in. That kind of information would prove useful when he actually decided to speak to the man. The mailboxes listed the name Wallace next to number 305. Hayabusa reviewed his plan for tonight and walked across the street, to the vacant building where his things were. This was going to be a very long day.

* * *

_Wednesday, December 14_

_3:27 P.M._

_Myamoto's Apartment_

When Jack arrived at Myamoto's it was close to three-thirty in the afternoon. He would have taken his Jeep, but by going back to it, he would be taking unnecessary risks. After knocking for what seemed like hours Myamoto finally opened the door. His dark hair was a mess and he looked like he had just gotten out of bed.

"Did I wake you up?" Jack asked.

"No, I was going to get up soon anyway."

"You _do_ realize it's almost three thirty, right?"

"Really?! Whoa, I guess I did sleep in a little late. What's up?"

Jack took a small plastic case out of his pocket. "I need help with this."

Myamoto grinned. "I thought you'd have a challenge for me, Jack. Come on in."

Myamoto's place was a battlefield. Old magazines and newspapers were strewn everywhere and the floor was covered with clothes, both clean and dirty. The blinds were all closed and his desk was illuminated with the faint glow of his computer's monitor. The TV was muted in the background, sending its ghostly light dancing on the darkened walls.

Myamoto picked up an old pizza box. "Want some?" he asked.

Jack grimaced at the stale pizza. "No thanks."

He shrugged and took a bite. "Your loss. What do you have?"

"Maybe you can tell me." Jack handed the disk to Myamoto and took a seat on the couch.

Myamoto inserted the disk into his computer's drive and started typing.

"What exactly am I looking for?"

Jack got up and walked over to the messy desk. "There's something hidden in the map, but it's in a code of some sort. I want to know what it says."

Myamoto nodded and accessed the map, finding the hidden file almost immediately. To his surprise, the file wasn't actually accessed through an icon, but rather a small symbol hidden in the menu bar.

"Where the hell did you get this?!" Myamoto exclaimed.

"I found it laying around," Jack said casually. "What is it?"

"It looks like...no, it can't be."

"What does it look like?" Jack asked.

"It looks like an old government code. After it was cracked a few years ago they changed it."

"Well, if it's been cracked, than it should be easy to decode, right?"

"That's the problem. This code is mutated. The original pattern is completely distorted. I don't know where you found this, but it's definitely important. This is gonna take a while. I'd be a little more inclined to help if you told me what this was all about."

Jack thought about Kasumi and the secret she had refused to tell. "You're just gonna have to trust me on this one. All I'm saying is that this is a life and death situation and time's an important factor."

* * *

_Wednesday, December 14_

_3:45 P.M._

_Organization Compound 21_

Shark had been meticulously 'questioning' Kasumi for almost eight hours straight, only stopping to let her rest when her body was at risk of serious permanent muscle damage. He had determined without fail that the yellow drug wasn't being an effective tool, and it was time to switch to a different method.

It had been one in the morning when Kasumi had passed out from the pain, and she hadn't even twitched a muscle since. At around three fifty, Smith entered the frigid room, noticing that Kasumi was very cold, but still not awake.

"Well, what have you learned?" he asked Shark.

Shark let out an exasperated sigh. "Nothing yet. She won't say anything. I've never seen such a strong spirit in someone before, but eventually everyone breaks. It's only a matter of time."

Smith grabbed Shark by the collar and hauled him out of the chair. "Better sooner than later, for both your sakes. I want that money."

"Get your hands off me," Shark said coldly. He wasn't afraid of Smith. Smith was just a small time shrimp compared with the people he had worked with in the past. The fact that Smith was offering him so much for this job was the only reason he was here.

Smith let go of Shark's shirt and gestured towards Kasumi's quivering body. "Why aren't you questioning her?"

"Do you want me to kill her? She can't handle any more right now. Her body is too weak right now."

"We'll see about that..." Smith said, glaring fiercely at Shark. He walked over to Kasumi's side, reaching into his pocket to retrieve his sharp knife.

"What do you think your doing?" Shark demanded.

"Getting answers."

Smith took some smelling salt off of Shark's cart, and waved it in front of Kasumi's nose. Her head jolted sharply as she snapped awake. Shark could see that she was obviously dazed, confused, fatigued and suffering. She barely had the strength to keep her eyes open. She tried to say something, but all that came out was a pathetic slur of syllables. Then she recognized Smith standing over her with his knife and panicked, trying to move her body, immediately letting out a sharp cry of pain as her weak torn muscles failed to respond.

"She needs to rest before we can get anything out of her. She's in too much pain right now," Shark argued.

Smith ignored him, and cruelly grabbed Kasumi's wrist in his vice-like grip, causing her to gasp.

"Where is it!?" he yelled at her. "Tell me!"

Kasumi flinched at his booming voice and tried desperately to repeat whatever she had said before, praying that this time he would understand her. But he obviously didn't understand, or he didn't care.

Angrily Smith placed the point of his steel blade in the center of her restrained hand. Applying just enough pressure to pierce her skin, Smith yelled his question again.

Kasumi felt the warm blood ooze out of her hand and flow onto her skin, and begged for him to stop, but Smith ignored her pleas.

"I want an answer!"

Shark stepped forward. "She can't talk, dammit! Let her rest!"

"Shut up! She's going to tell me."

But when Kasumi didn't say anything, Smith became infuriated. He raised the gleaming blade about two feet above her bleeding hand and then he brought it down on her as hard as he could, forcing the knife completely through her hand and against the cold metal table underneath. "I asked where the village was. Now tell me!"

Kasumi screamed loudly as the sharp excruciating pain shot through her tender arm and cried so hard that she soon passed out once again, sinking back into unconsciousness. Smith reached for more smelling salt, but Shark grabbed his arm before he could use it.

"What the hell do you think you're doing? You'll kill her!" Shark yelled.

"At this point I'm beginning not to care."

"Just give her 'til the end of the week. I'm sure she'll talk eventually." Shark glared at Smith. "Leave this up to me, Smith. If you interfere again, I won't be responsible for my actions. This is _my _subject. You'll get what you want."

Smith yanked his knife from the gaping hole in Kasumi's right hand, which was now gushing with blood. After he had stormed out of the room, Shark leaned over Kasumi to check the deep wound. It was bleeding profusely, but he determined that it wouldn't need any stitches, if it was bound up right away with some bandages. Luckily, none of her fragile bones had been fractured.

He used the smelling salt that he had taken from Smith and placed it under her nose, causing her to lurch awake once again. When he was sure she was as aware as a person in her condition could be, he grabbed a glass of cold water he had set on the cart and doused her hand with it, then he poured the rest of it into her mouth. She coughed a couple of times but quickly started gulping it down like she had been trapped in the desert for three days. He wondered if Smith had given her any water before he arrived, and he doubted that he had. She was probably starving as well.

He ripped a large strip of white cloth from the cover on his cart and wrapped it tightly around her impaled hand, making Kasumi cry out from the pain. After he was done, she slowly closed her eyes and quickly fell asleep again, still exhausted from the abuse the yellow drug had wrought on her muscles.

Shark shut down all the lights and walked out of the room.

* * *

_Wednesday, December 14_

_6:18 P.M._

_Organization Compound 21_

The first thing Kasumi noticed when she awoke, was the horrible piercing pain she felt in her right hand when she tried to move it. The burning feeling she had gotten from the mysterious yellow drug Shark had used on her seemed to have been reduced to a sharp prickly sensation, although her muscles were still wracked with pain. The lights were all off so there was no light in the room, relieving her awful headache to a dull throb. She didn't know if there was anyone else in the room, so she decided to sit perfectly still, so she wouldn't be heard.

After about five minutes of laying perfectly still, Kasumi heard the door open and Shark switched on the soft fluorescent lights. The lights weren't bright, but she squinted anyway. She was grateful he didn't turn on the spotlight, knowing exactly what it would have done to her headache.

"What happened to my hand?" she demanded.

"You don't remember?" Shark asked.

"Apparently not."

Shark cleared his throat. "Does it really matter? What's done is done."

She watched him sit down and looked away at the opposite wall. "Not again. Please, don't start again. I-I...can't..." she said, her sentence trailing off as she began to cry.

Shark looked at Kasumi with is emotionless blue eyes. "That's not why I'm here. You're much to frail to work on right now. You still need to recover."

He reached under the sheet covering his cart and retrieved a white plastic box.

Kasumi managed to stop crying and looked at Shark, both curious and frightened. "What's that then?"

"You'll need to eat to recover. I snuck this down here about an hour ago." He reached into the box and retrieved a stale, dry ham sandwich. He cut it into small pieces and gave Kasumi a little at a time. She consumed the small amount of food faster than he could tear it up. Soon, the sandwich was gone.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked after she had swallowed the last of the food, still feeling hungry.

"Because you haven't eaten for at least one day, probably longer, and you're going to need the strength later."

Shark put the box back in the cart and got up from his chair. Kasumi looked back at the wall opposite the door and closed her tearful eyes, wishing for a way out.

* * *

_Wednesday, December 14_

_6:30 P.M._

_Myamoto's Apartment_

Myamoto stared at the seemingly unbreakable code on the screen. He had been trying to break it for hours now, and he was just about to give up, when he noticed a glitch in the program.

"Jack, come here. I think I've got something," Myamoto said.

Jack walked over to the computer and looked blankly at the screen. "What am I supposed to be seeing here?"

Myamoto pointed at a series of symbols on the monitor. "Right here. It looks like two codes overlapping each other. If I can separate them and decode them separately, I can run the results over the entire file. Maybe then we could read some of it."  
"Some of it? You mean you can't decode all of it?" Jack asked.

"Well...not exactly. I'll get all of the information eventually, but it will probably take me until the end of the week, at least."

"The end of the week?! What part of life and death situation did you not understand?"

"Chill out, man. These things take a little time."

Jack sighed. "How soon can you get the information from the double code?"

"Not long. If I run it through my decryption--"

"How long, Myamoto?" Jack repeated impatiently.

"I'll have what you want by midnight tonight," Myamoto said.

"Good. I'll be back at midnight then." Jack said as he reached for his jacket.

"Where are you going?"

"To a friend's place."

The sun was setting behind him when he arrived at the burnt shell of the refinery. Jack hiked up to the hole in the wall of the garage where he had entered the structure two days earlier, sadness weighing heavy in his heart. The end of the week could be too late for her, but he really had no other option. Unless he was right about the garage.

He figured that Kasumi might have hidden something there, like a notebook or a map. Anything to give him an idea of who might be after her, or what information she had been hiding.

The place looked much different this time. The waning light from the setting sun cast long shadows and accented the cracks in the walls and floor. There were still small puddles of water that had frozen into ice spread across the cracked concrete floor.

Jack walked up to where Kasumi had been staying, scanning for any kind of clue that could help him. The old chair she had been sleeping in was leaning neatly up against the wall where he had left it and the solitary washing basin sat in the far corner of the room like a silent guardian. He pulled his small flashlight from his pocket and looked closely at the walls for a hole or a loose brick that Kasumi might have hid something in, but there was nothing he could find. Suddenly, he felt something crunch under his boot. As he lifted his foot off the damaged item, Jack recognized it as an empty iron picture frame. He lifted it up to examine it further, hoping that maybe there was a picture hidden in the back, but it was completely empty. He continued to look around, but there were no good hiding spots to be found. There wasn't even an old vent or anything. It seemed that all of Kasumi's possessions were sitting in his closet at home.

It was late when Jack decided to give up. Maybe she hid the picture that was in the frame among her things before he arrived that night. He hoped that the man that had been following him earlier had left, or that he was just being paranoid, but he had a feeling that he was still around, waiting for him to return.

Switching off his pen light, Jack walked out onto the road leading back into town. There were still a few street lights that worked but they were dim and flickered on and off frequently. He glanced at his watch and decided to see if Myamoto had cracked the code yet.

The walk to Myamoto's seemed to last for hours, but Jack knew it hadn't been that long since he left the ruins. He walked into Myamoto's without knocking, and found the lanky Japanese man sitting faithfully at his computer, chewing on stale pizza.

"Have you got anything?" Jack asked.

Myamoto jumped and turned around. "Back already? You shouldn't walk in without knocking."

"Sorry, but you shouldn't leave your door unlocked if you don't want me to barge in. What have you got?" Jack asked.

Myamoto shrugged and looked back at the monitor. "Well it looks like some sort of list and part of a picture."

"A picture of what?"

"I can't really tell. It looks like it was taken in the forest, but I still have to decode most of it."

"What about the list?"

"Well, from what I can tell it looks like a small segment of a sort of identification database. There are descriptions, but I can't find any names." Myamoto handed Jack a copy of the list he had printed off earlier.

Jack looked at the list. There were at least five pages here but a lot of it was still scrambled with numbers. He could still read it, but it would be a lot easier if he crossed out all the useless stuff with a permanent marker.

"What's this word mean?" Jack asked.

"Which one?" Myamoto turned his chair to face Jack.

Jack paused a moment. "Shinobi."


	6. Chapter Five

**DISCLAIMER:** I DO NOT OWN ANY DEAD OR ALIVE CHARACTER. THOSE CHARACTERS BELONG TO TECMO, LTD. AND TEAM NINJA. I AM IN NO WAY INTENDING ANY COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT AND I'M NOT MAKING A PROFIT FROM THE USE OF THESE CHARACTERS. ANY CHARACTER NOT A PART OF DEAD OR ALIVE IS MINE AND MINE ALONE.

**Chapter Five**

_Thursday, December 15_

_12:51 A.M._

_Organization Compound 21_

Kasumi groggily raised her head, not realizing where she was or what had been happening to her, but then she tried to raise her arm, and her memory was instantly refreshed when the piercing pain from her torn muscles shot through her body. She gasped loudly and squeezed her eyes shut, trying to suppress the sharp pain. Her hand was numb from the cold, but she could still feel the spot where she had been wounded by Smith's blade. The headache she had since she arrived in the chilly prison had seemed to dissipate, providing a little relief, but not much.

Trying not to move too quickly, she turned her head away form the wall and towards the door. Her neck was sore like the rest of her injured body, but she forced herself to move, hoping that she wouldn't get stiff. As Shark came into her line of sight, Kasumi sighed, knowing that things were about to go from bad to worse very fast. He didn't seem to care that she was awake, because he was too busy mixing a bright green fluid in a small vial. Then he glanced up at her and nodded.

"Good, you're awake. I guess it's time to resume our little conversation," he said monotonously.

"Wait," she said quickly, her voice full of panic, "Can you at least tell me what time it is?"

She was stalling, and she knew it was no good. She hoped someone would find her, but she also knew it was in vain. No one knew she was gone, except Jack and he wouldn't know where to begin looking. Everyone else she knew wanted her dead.

"It's almost one in the morning," Shark said. He picked up the green vial from before and filled a syringe.

Kasumi reflexively tried to jerk away from him, but she was in too much pain and far too weak to put out any sort of effort. As Shark's hand drew closer, she tried harder to move, adrenaline drowning out her agony.

"No!" she screamed at him as he pushed the needle into her skin.

Shark didn't say a word as he injected it into her arm and waited while the drug took hold of her. At first Kasumi only felt an intense cold spread through her, like someone covered her in an ice blanket. She noticed that the air in the frigid room almost felt warm to her, which made her very worried, but she hid her emotions well and put on a brave face. Then everything began to spin, making her so dizzy she had to close her eyes.

"This is a drug that will make your nerves hypersensitive to heat and motion." Shark said.

She slowly opened her eyes and tried to steady her vision, focusing on Shark with all of her pain and despair. He picked up a large glass and filled it with steaming hot water from a large five gallon tank sitting on the floor by his chair.

"If you tell me where the Shinobi village is, I won't have to use this."

"What are you going to do, give me a bath?" she managed to whisper in a mocking tone.

"Not quite. This water came from a hot water faucet upstairs. Although it is only as warm as hot dishwater, it will feel much more like scalding water to you," Shark said.

Tears welled up in Kasumi's eyes. "No! You can't do this!"

Shark sighed and raised the glass, but didn't spill it on her quaking body. "I'll give you one more chance. Don't underestimate how much this will hurt."

"I will never tell you," Kasumi said with as much effort as she could muster. The room began making her sick again so she closed her eyes and braced herself.

Shark grabbed Kasumi's arm and slowly poured the steaming water all over it. She bit her lip and made a fist with her left hand, suppressing her urge to scream. As soon as the water had run off, her arm felt like it was freezing again. Shark filled another glass.

"Stop!" she yelled. "Please..."

Shark regretted every moment of this, but Smith had promised him well over five million American currency if he could get this information. He looked down at the shivering form of Kasumi and wondered whether it was worth it. Quickly, he got a grip on his senses. _She's not my problem. This is just easy money. Who cares about her suffering anyway?_

"Tell me what I want to know!" he yelled.

"I can't..." Kasumi whimpered weakly.

Shark took the glass and poured it all over her injured hand, soaking the bloody bandage with the hot water. Kasumi screamed as the terrible pain burned through her hand while her wrist remained frozen. Shark looked down at her and filled another glass.

"I-I can't take anymore!" she sobbed. "Don't...."

"I won't stop until you tell me the location," he said coldly.

He poured the water on her hand again and got the same response. Kasumi cried out in extreme anguish while the hot water rushed through her wounded hand and gathered in a burning puddle on the table underneath her skin.

Shark immediately filled the glass once again, not giving her any time to catch her breath or brace herself for more. Then he drenched her waist, soaking her white shirt and making her skin burn against her clothes. Kasumi tried to hold back her tears, but the hot water was too much for her to endure.

"I...can't....tell...." she whimpered, tears rushing down her face.

Shark decided this was getting him nowhere and that she couldn't take much more for now, because she obviously hadn't fully recovered from the muscle damage that his first session had caused. He would wait a few hours and try something new, but first he had to wait for the effects of the green liquid to wear off. He began to close the tank and he took a blanket out of the cart.

"What are you doing?!" Smith yelled from behind him. "No wonder you're not getting any answers. You're going way too easy on her."

Smith took the tank from Shark, and poured the rest of the water all over Kasumi's shivering body, an evil smile darkening his face. She recoiled as the hot water washed over her, soaking into her clothes and gathering in a large puddle on the metal table beneath her.

"AAHHH!" she screamed, unable to contain herself any longer.

She sobbed, not even able to stop herself for a breath of fresh air. She finally slipped into unconsciousness, where she could hide from the scalding pain. Shark was enraged at Smith.

"Dammit, Smith! Do you have any idea how much that hurt her?!" Shark yelled at the short man.

Before Smith could yell back a reply, Shark tackled him and punched him in the face with a hard right hook. Smith rolled out from underneath Shark and attempted to kick him, but Shark was too fast for him. Smith pulled the hunting knife from his pocket and they both got up at the same time.

"Shark, you're lucky I need you or you'd already be dead. You work for me, so if I want to pour hot water on her, I will, and there's nothing you can do about it. You had best learn your place around here." Smith said as he wiped the blood from his nose.

"A lot of good it did you! You didn't get any information out of her, you just made her pass out, you fool. Let _me_ do _my_ job." Shark yelled angrily.

Smith put away his knife and looked at Kasumi, who was lying in the small pool of warm water that had accumulated on the table under her shivering body. She was breathing hard, but wasn't making any movements.

He then returned his focus to Shark as he got out the thick warm blanket to put over her. "Leave her like she is."

Shark wasn't sure he heard right. "Leave her uncovered?"

Smith nodded.

"She'll freeze to death if we leave her like that! Do you know how cold it is in here?"

He nodded. "Yes, I do. Maybe she'll realize the mistake she's made when she wakes up lying in a pool of icy water instead of under a nice dry blanket."

Shark glared at Smith as he put the blanket back inside the cart.

* * *

_Thursday, December 15_

_1:15 A.M._

_Myamoto's Apartment_

"Shinobi?! Where does it say that?" Myamoto exclaimed.

Jack handed him the printout and pointed at the mysterious word, curiosity written clearly on his face. "Right here. What does it mean?"

Myamoto stared at the word, stunned. When he didn't respond, Jack cleared his throat. "What is it?"

"There's a Japanese legend about a mysterious people who have controlled the mountain for centuries. Translated into english the word means spy or sneak. About five years ago, the government sent up an elite squad of military agent to investigate some unexplained activity in the forest, but they never came back. Some people think its ridiculous, but I believe they were eliminated by the Shinobi. A few people are so paranoid about it that they will refuse to even enter the woods, especially at night. But there aren't many like that, most people just think that it's an old story meant to scare kids and nothing more."

"And what do you believe?"

Myamoto shrugged. "I believe that it explains a lot of things that have happened in this town over the years. It's definitely not just a story, but there's absolutely no proof that they exist. At least there wasn't until you brought me this disk."

"Hey, let's not get ahead of ourselves. For all we know Shinobi, could just be a codename for something else."

"Come on, Jack. Where's your sense of adventure?"

Jack grinned. "It does make sense that a group like that could exist. It might have been them that took her--"

Myamoto interrupted. "What? They took who?"

"Uh...nobody?"

"Jack, quit holding out on me. Who was taken?"

Jack sighed and plopped down on the couch. "It's my friend, Kasumi. She's in some kind of serious trouble, and if I don't find her soon, I'm afraid I'll lose her. You mind if I take the list with me?" Jack asked.

"No, go ahead," Myamoto said. "You think she's still alive?"

"I don't know. I can only hope so, but for all I know she's out in the woods freezing to death. I need something to go on, and this list is my only lead."

Myamoto shook his head. "I'm sorry to hear that. Let me know if there's anything else I can do to help."

"Thanks, but you're already doing plenty. You can keep the disc until you decode it. Call me if you find anything new," Jack said as he walked out of the room.

_The Shinobi took her_, he thought. This explained everything. But if no one else had found the Shinobi, or any proof of their existence, how would he find Kasumi? And if they managed to take down an entire trained military unit, how could he expect to single-handedly rescue her, and escape without getting killed? He walked back into Myamoto's apartment.

"How will I know if I've found a Shinobi?" Jack asked.

"You won't. And if you do, you won't live long enough to worry about it."

* * *

_Thursday,_ _December 15_

_4:20 A.M._

_Jack's Apartment_

Hayabusa watched the apartment building across the quiet street with waning interest. Then, suddenly, Jack appeared at the corner of the street where he had lost him earlier. He was carrying some papers and looked very tired. Hayabusa waited until Jack entered the building before making his move. There was a fire escape that led straight to Jack's window, and he had determined earlier that this would be the best way to enter the man's dwelling. He waited about ten minutes before stealthily climbing down to the street below. Becoming one with the shadows, Hayabusa walked silently to the back alley where the fire escape access ladder was. He had lowered the ladder earlier so he wouldn't make any noise as he made his ascension.

Jack made some of his strongest coffee and sat on the couch to investigate the list. It took him about five minutes to cross out all the meaningless stuff, so he could concentrate on the real information.

Most of the people on the list were described as having black hair, light complexion and dark eyes, which could have been anyone in town. There were a few that caught Jack's eye, though. There was one describing a tall male with dark eyes and shoulder length red hair. It said that he seemed to command much respect from the Shinobi, most likely a leader of some sort. Jack decided this was the man he would find if he ever wanted to see Kasumi alive again. If anyone knew about her capture, he would. He skipped further down the list and spotted another entry that stuck out. This one was another male with long auburn hair and green eyes. The list described him as a stoic man who seemed to look out for the Shinobi's best interests. It said that this man spent much time in the woods fishing. Right below that entry there was another describing a female with amber eyes--

Suddenly there was a cold blade at his throat.

"Do not move," the mysterious intruder said calmly.

"What the--?!" Jack said.

"I said don't move!"

Jack took a deep breath. "Are you Shinobi?"

"What do you know of the Shinobi!" the intruder yelled.

"You can put down the knife. I'm not going to do anything." Jack said. He was too tired to do anything.

The intruder never let the knife leave Jack's throat, as he stepped slowly into the light. He noticed the long auburn ponytail of the man in front of him.

"What do you know--" he started.

"I heard you the first time," Jack interrupted, "I don't know anything, but I know that you took my friend. Did you kill her?"

There was no response.

"Did you?!" Jack yelled angrily.

"No. The Shinobi are innocent."

Jack smirked. "I'd like to see you convince the locals that you're innocent."

"The girl you speak of is not with the Shinobi. I must know what happened."

"Yeah, okay," Jack grinned, "I'll tell you as soon as I find out."

For some reason Hayabusa believed he wouldn't get any useful information out of the stubborn man on the couch. He slowly placed his kunai back in it's sheath strapped to his ankle.

Jack sighed and took a big gulp out of his coffee mug. "What do _you_ know about the Shinobi?" Jack asked angrily.

The man simply shook his head slightly and grabbed the list from Jack. "Where did you get this?" he asked coldly.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Jack wasn't going to give this guy any clues on anything. If Myamoto was right, he was already dead anyway. He grinned smugly and held up his coffee mug. "Want some, Mr. Shinobi?"

The mysterious invader glared at Jack with his penetrating green eyes. Then he crumpled the list and put it in a satchel at his side. Jack watched him carefully as he retreated to the open window and threw a small sack sharply against the floor in front of him. A brown cloud of powder exploded all around him and Jack jumped off the couch and dived into the fog. But when he entered the cloud, instead of finding the Shinobi, he sailed through the air and hit his head on the wall underneath the window.

* * *

_Thursday, December 15_

_12:13 P.M._

_Jack's Apartment_

When Jack awoke, he didn't remember what had happened until he spotted the coffee stain on the floor next to the small brown pouch. Then he remembered the list. He remembered the entry on the man with the auburn hair and the green eyes. He also remembered that the entry said that he watched over the Shinobi, whatever that was supposed to mean.

After he thought about it a little more, he became more puzzled. Why would the Shinobi send someone to find him? Especially if they were the ones that took Kasumi?

Then he thought about the trip he had taken to the garage the day before and the small picture frame he had crushed. Maybe the picture that had been in the frame would give him some clues. He walked to the closet where he had stashed all of Kasumi's things after she had disappeared. The sweater he had recovered from the forest path was still covered in leaves and dirt, but there weren't any pictures in the pockets. He then checked in her black duffel bag. He was saddened by the way Kasumi had lived, and it upset him that she had never once, in all the months they've been friends, asked for his help. The bag contained the familiar gold ribbons that Jack had often seen holding her hair in a ponytail. He neatly pushed them aside and reached below a few wooden brushes and some clothes. Then he spotted it. It was laying under a beautiful blue and white kimono on the bottom of the bag. He retrieved it and looked carefully at the photograph. The date on the back of the photo said it was years old. Jack turned the wrinkled black and white image over in his hand and saw Kasumi and Ayane smiling while playing on a wooden swing hanging from a dazzling cherry blossom tree. There were flowers and some buildings in the far background. He wondered what had happened between them to turn Ayane so bitterly against her sister. They looked so happy together in the picture. Jack carefully placed the photo into his wallet and grabbed his car keys off of the kitchen table.

Hayabusa had climbed back atop the roof of the vacant brick building where he was staying and was carefully examining the crumpled list that he had taken from Jack.There were descriptions of many of the people of the village, including Ayane, Hayate, Kasumi, and himself, although the only entry with a name was Hayate's. But there was much nonsense scrambling everything up, making it very hard for him to read it. He was positive that Jack was only trying to help Kasumi, but in the process he was putting the Shinobi in danger. He wondered about where Jack had recovered this information, knowing that its source was probably linked with Kasumi's capture. He still didn't have any information about her disappearance, but he had gotten proof that a third party was involved and they had evidence of the existence of the Shinobi.

Hayabusa sighed. He had hoped that he would get all the information he needed out of Jack, but it turned out to be much more complicated than that. His friendship with Kasumi must be very strong for him to go through so much trouble. Hayabusa decided that it would be best if he helped Jack find her, but at the same time try to lead him away from the Shinobi. This way he could stop the mysterious group that was responsible for Kasumi's disappearance and hopefully get some answers for Hayate. He looked down to the street below and spotted Jack leaving the building and heading for a green Jeep. Hayabusa rushed down from the roof of the old brick building and silently followed Jack to his Jeep.

Jack exited the apartment building and headed toward the parking lot where he parked his Jeep. He was going to see if he could find anymore clues at the site of Kasumi's disappearance. He knew there would probably be nothing new there, but he wasn't the kind of guy that could sit still for very long. Myamoto would probably call soon, but he wasn't going to wait around until he did.

As soon as Jack reached his Jeep he noticed a familiar figure walk towards him from around the corner of his building. Jack quickly reached inside his leather jacket and retrieved his gun.

"What do you want? Did you come to finish the job are you ready to talk?" Jack asked. He was in no mood to deal with this.

Hayabusa stood still, clearly not intimidated. "I've come to make a deal. I want to help you find Kasumi." He slowly walked closer to Jack.

Jack cocked his pistol and aimed at Hayabusa's head. He didn't remember ever giving the stranger Kasumi's name. "Wrong answer. What do you know about Kasumi?"

Hayabusa continued to walk closer. "More than you. Put the gun down, and then we'll talk."

"Uh-uh," Jack shook his head, "Stop where you are. I'm leaving, and if you want to leave too, you had better do as I say." Jack said threateningly.

Hayabusa stopped and watched the tall man get into his Jeep and drive away.

"Chikushou," he muttered. This was going to be harder than he thought.


	7. Chapter Six

**DISCLAIMER:** I DO NOT OWN ANY DEAD OR ALIVE CHARACTER. THOSE CHARACTERS BELONG TO TECMO, LTD. AND TEAM NINJA. I AM IN NO WAY INTENDING ANY COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT AND I'M NOT MAKING A PROFIT FROM THE USE OF THESE CHARACTERS. ANY CHARACTER NOT A PART OF DEAD OR ALIVE IS MINE AND MINE ALONE.

**Chapter Six**

_Thursday, December 15_

_1:06 P.M._

_Organization Compound 21_

Kasumi had been laying awake for hours in the icy water that had gathered underneath her. She was freezing cold and couldn't stop shivering, and there was nothing to keep her warm. The back of her white T-shirt was soaked from the pool of water, as was her blue skirt. The cold had numbed her aching muscles, but it did not completely drown out her pain. She didn't dare move again, knowing that she would never be able to suppress the pain, so she just lay in a miserable heap on the frigid table, trying to find some way to keep from freezing to death.

Shark walked in and saw her in this state, but said nothing. He then took a seat by the cart and sorted through the various objects on its surface, looking for something that would quickly get him an answer without fail.

Kasumi expected him to mix up another chemical and drug her up again, but to her complete horror, he turned to face her with a sharp jagged tool of some sort in his hand. It had a long curved blade with tearing teeth etched into the razor-like edge, and four long piercing spikes coming out of the hilt. There was a button on the grip with a green symbol on it. As he drew closer to her, she turned her head away, pretending that she was somewhere far away. But Shark's cold voice shattered her hopes.

"Are you ready to tell me where the village is?"

"Y-you have n-no control over me," Kasumi said, her teeth chattering.

Shark shook his head. "No Control? Really?"

He lightly dragged the blade over her bare arms. Kasumi closed her eyes, holding back tears that threatened to give away her fear.

"If I had no control, then why are you so scared? The truth is you know I hold all the cards in my hands. You're powerless to stop me. I could kill you right now in such a way that you'd wish you were never born."

Kasumi swallowed hard. "I-I won't submit m-myself to you. You c-can't make me say anything, n-no matter what you do!"

"We'll see about that."

Shark lifted the knife from off of her arm and pressed the green button, which started to heat the blade up. After almost five minutes he sunk the hot knife into Kasumi's thigh, making sure not to go any deeper than a few inches, avoiding any major blood vessels.

Kasumi bit her lip when she knew Shark was going to stab her, but when the burning metal pierced her skin there was no holding back her screams. After a few seconds, she ran out of breath and went silent, gasping for air.

Shark didn't move the knife from the shallow wound. "Now, where is the village?!"

Kasumi tried to speak, but all she could do was cry from the horrible torturous pain.

Shark shook his head and slowly dragged the blade downward, making a long gash in her upper leg, crimson fluid gushing down her sweating skin and staining the ripped skirt he had just cut through. Ignoring her total misery and desperate pleas for him to stop, Shark removed the dagger after making the cut.

"N-no more....p-please..." Kasumi sobbed.

"You can make it all go away at any time. Just tell me--"

"No! I won't!"

Shark was almost taken aback by the emphasis she used. He simply sighed and slowly cut into her waist, tearing into her damp white shirt with the jagged edge of the blade.

Kasumi heard her shirt rip and she felt the tip of the knife cut into her. But she was prepared for the magnitude of pain that was coming, and this time she managed not to scream, but stopping her tears was impossible.

"Shall I continue?"

Kasumi clenched her good hand into a tight fist and howled in agony as Shark used the serrated edge to rip into her skin, causing her blood to soak into her tattered white shirt and ooze down the side of her body.

* * *

_Thursday, December 15_

_2:30 P.M._

_Organization Compound 21_

Smith walked to the basement door and opened it briskly, feeling the cool air and hearing the tortured screams of the captured Shinobi girl. Shark had let her rest considerably before starting his next session, but he seemed to be holding back. Smith believed that Shark could do much better. He thought about the events that had occurred earlier this morning, and in his opinion, Shark had gone way too easy on the girl. Smith thought he had done much better by drenching her. Maybe then she would learn not to resist.

He continued to walk down the dimly lit hall to the small storage room where the anguished sobs were originating. He heard her voice weakly begging for him to leave her alone, but Shark only asked her what he wanted to know.

He opened the door and watched with satisfaction as Shark slowly made a large gash in the girl's shoulder with a very ugly knife. Under his instruction, Shark had switched to a more physical form of pain and suffering. Her shirt was in poor shape. The sleeves had been torn off and the lower half of the stained garment had been hacked away, leaving her bloody midsection bare and bleeding. Her skirt wasn't in any better condition. The once long blue material was stained and ripped, bringing the end of the tattered skirt well above the knees, showing the many lacerations on her bloody thighs. Kasumi's waist had a large gash in it, which was still gushing with vital juices.

Shark had noticed when Smith had walked into the room and sat down by the door to eat a large sandwich he had been holding.

_What kind of a monster watches these things and eats his lunch at the same time? _Shark thought.

He picked up a small bottle of rubbing alcohol out of a large container full of them on the floor.

"Where is the village?" he asked casually as he unscrewed the cap.

"I can't...I..." Kasumi muttered weakly. It was obvious that she was losing her strength.

She had an amazing spirit. Shark had never seen the likes of it in his entire career. He slowly poured the rubbing alcohol into her shoulder wound and watched in silence as she sobbed.

"Stop." Smith got up from his chair.

As he walked closer to her, Smith noticed more than the injuries that were on her upper legs and torso. Her arms were cut up as well, although the wounds were much smaller and a lot less serious that the ones on her waist and legs, and her right hand, the one that he had stabbed, was bleeding again. She had balled it into a tight fist, reopening the deep wound.

Shark put down the blood stained instrument he had been using and scooted his chair back. Smith had talked to him earlier about what he planned to do, but it still ticked him off that he wouldn't just let him do his job. Kasumi glanced at Smith and started to sob, knowing what was coming.

Smith popped his knuckles and looked down at her. _I don't believe the strength this young woman possesses_, he thought to himself.

"Tell me what I want to know right now!" Smith yelled at her.

Kasumi didn't move or say a word. She quickly braced herself against the blow she knew was coming and closed her eyes as Smith raised his fist high, and smashed it into the fresh wound Shark had just made in her shoulder. She bit her lip and clenched both her hands, but didn't stop herself from crying out when his fist slammed into her.

"I'll never say anything," Kasumi managed to whisper.

Smith grinned and grabbed some salt out of the bag that his lunch had been in. He unscrewed the cap on the small shaker and dumped it on the gash in Kasumi's shoulder. The mound of salt went from white to red in a few short seconds as it absorbed her blood.

"Now, where is the village?" Smith asked in mock politeness.

Kasumi winced as the salt burned into her wound, but she still said nothing. Smith didn't ask again. Instead he took the palm of his hand and slammed it down hard on the small pile of salt, grinding it into her. Kasumi couldn't help but wail in agony as Smith continually placed more pressure on the wound.

"You're a monster!" she cried.

Smith felt his face turn red in rage as he raised his hand again and slapped Kasumi across the cheek leaving a large red welt on her face. She gasped, and flinched as he raised his hand to strike again.

"Stop!" she cried.

Shark watched in disgust as Smith smashed his fist into the girl's hip making her scream again. The force of the blow was so great, that even Shark flinched. There was a sickening popping sound as her leg was thrown out of it's socket, and Kasumi let out a long tortured howl with tears rushing down her face.

He could tell that this last blow wasn't to get an answer, but a way for Smith to unleash his anger and frustration on the defenseless girl. In a fair fight, he doubted Smith would last two seconds. He was nothing but a cowardly little man who had no sense of honor or mercy.

"That's enough," Shark said in a frigid, calm tone.

Smith backed up and spat at the girl's shivering bloody body.

"Enough!" Shark yelled.

Smith turned and faced him. "She's all yours."

Shark followed Smith outside and slammed the door behind him.

"What was that?" he asked.

"What are you talking about?" Smith asked innocently.

Shark glared fiercely. "You know exactly what I'm talking about. We agreed you could hit her, but that last punch? I know you weren't trying to get an answer, Smith."

"You didn't set any rules," Smith said. He purposely ignored the last part of Shark's comment. He looked down at his stained shirt. "Now if you don't mind, I've got to change my shirt. The girl has ruined this one."

Shark stared angrily at Smith as he walked back to the upper floor of the structure. He walked back into the cold room and took a good look at Kasumi. She looked back at him, her amber eyes pleading with his hard blue ones. He shook his head and walked over to his cart, retrieving the blanket he was going to use before from out of the bottom. He knew that if he continued with the knife she would die, so he decided to leave her alone for now, and wait for the bleeding to stop.

She said nothing as Shark draped the warm dry blanket over her. She immediately felt warmer and let out a sigh of relief. Her muscles were still very sore, but not nearly as bad as before. She was tired, but couldn't sleep, and she longed for Jack's warm apartment, and his friendly smile.

* * *

_Thursday, December 15_

_2:45 P.M._

_Forest Park_

Jack had found nothing at the site of Kasumi's disappearance, as he had suspected. He really didn't know what he was expecting to find, but he was disappointed all the same, knowing that every second he wasted probably increased the odds that he would never see Kasumi alive again.

He was torn apart inside, feeling like crap because she had come to him for help, and he had let her down. Technically it wasn't his fault, but he should've gone with her. If he had accompanied her that night, none of this would've happened.

_Or you both would've been captured or killed,_ a voice in the back of Jack's head said.

He sighed. The best he could do was keep looking and pray for a solid lead. After about three hours of combing the area, his cell phone rang loudly from his jacket pocket.

"Hello?" he answered.

"Jack, you have to get down here as soon as possible. I've found something else on the disc you gave me," Myamoto said.

"What is it?" Jack asked. "Do you know where Kasumi is?!"

"Sorry, man, but that's not it."

Jack became irritated. "What's more important than finding her?!"

"Chill out, Jack. We'll find her. It's going to be all right."

Jack calmed down. "Sorry. I didn't mean to jump all over you like that. What do you have?"

"It's better if you see it for yourself."

"I'll be there soon," Jack hung up the phone and ran to his Jeep.

Myamoto was always reluctant to share information on the phone. He always thought that someone might be listening in. However, Jack never dismissed such beliefs as simple paranoia. Just because you think someone's out to get you, doesn't mean there isn't. Kasumi was a good example of this, and he never once thought she was just overreacting. Jack started his car and quickly drove to Myamoto's.

When he arrived at the apartments, Myamoto was waiting for him in the hallway outside of his apartment door. When he spotted Jack, he turned and opened his door.

"What took you so long?" he asked.

"Nothing. What did you find?" Jack asked as he followed Myamoto inside.

"I've deciphered more of the information, found some more pictures, and one name."

"A name? What is it?" Jack asked.

Myamoto shrugged. "Hayabusa, but that's not what the important part is. Check out this picture!"

Jack looked at the computer screen. "They're all blurry. What's the big deal?"  
"Have faith. There's still a lot of mopping up that I have to do on them, but what do you see?" Myamoto asked excitedly.

Jack looked at the picture that was currently on the screen carefully, trying to distinguish all the shapes.

"This is just like a stupid ink blot test!"

"Just look harder. You'll see it."

After a few seconds, it started to come together. It looked like it had been taken at night, somewhere deep in the forest, which is what he could tell from the dark green splotches in the background. The camera that took this picture must've had a night vision or low-light capability. He could make out a group of people dressed in black, and it looked like they were chasing something off-camera.

"Can you tell where in the woods this might have been taken?"

"Are you kidding? Unless there is a distinct landmark in the picture, it could be anywhere on the mountain. And we both know that the pictures are still too foggy to make out any small details." Myamoto said.

"Great." Jack muttered. "Who do you think these people are?"

Myamoto grinned. "Duh, the Shinobi. Who else would be running through the forest at night? Do you know what this means! We have proof of the existence of actual Shinobi!"

"Don't get too excited, Myamoto. These could be pictures of the special forces unit you told me about earlier. Or it could be absolutely nothing at all. The photo is too hazy to know for sure that these are really Shinobi," Jack pointed out.

"Why do you have to drain all the fun out of this? Okay, I'll prove it to you. Give me about six hours and you'll see the Shinobi are real."

Jack nodded. "Great, and while you're at it, could you prove the existence of alien life?" he said sarcastically.

Myamoto frowned at his skeptical friend and turned back to his computer.

Jack paused. "Could you look specifically for a location or an address in any new information you find?"

"Yeah sure," Myamoto said waving Jack away as he studied his pictures.

Jack walked out the door and down the long hall. Jack knew the existence of Shinobi was real, as his encounter last night had proved, but he wanted solid, rock hard proof instead of a blurry photo. But the Shinobi wouldn't be easy to find, even with a photo, but Kasumi's life depended on it. If they took her, this was the only chance he had to rescue her.

"Hayabusa," he muttered to himself as he grabbed his keys from his pocket. _What a strange name_, he thought as he walked outside.

When Jack returned home he switched on the lights, only to find that they didn't work. _Wonderful,_ he thought. This day wasn't getting any better.

"We meet again, Jack," a dark figure said from the back of the room.

"I am _really_ starting to get tired of this." Jack said as he hung his jacket up. "What the hell do you want from me?"

"I want to help you. I need to find out what happened to Kasumi."

"I know what happened. Your buddies kidnapped her."

"I already told you the Shinobi aren't involved."

Jack thought about the name Myamoto had given him earlier. "Do you know of a Hayabusa?"

The man in the corner never moved. "Why do you want to know?" he said calmly.

"Why can't you just answer a simple question?" Jack asked irritably.

"Why do you have to ask so many questions?"

"That's it. I'm leaving, and when I come back you had better be gone," Jack said coldly.

"Wait." Hayabusa decided that if he were to get any information, he would have to give some first. "I am Hayabusa."

Jack slowly turned around. "You're Hayabusa?" he asked incredulously.

"Yes," he replied.

"Well, that's one step in the right direction, Hayabusa. You have a first name?"

"Yes."

Jack clearly saw that this Hayabusa wasn't quite ready to give away too much information, which was something he easily understood as a private detective. But the fact that Hayabusa gave his name at all showed him that he was willing to help.­­­

* * *

_Thursday, December 15_

_9:16 P.M._

_Organization Compound 21_

Smith finished washing his hands as an angry Shark stormed out of the basement stairwell.

"Did you get anything out of her, yet?" Smith asked.

"No, but you should give her more time. Maybe until next Monday?" Shark's voice was cold. He was obviously still bitter about the beating he had given Kasumi this afternoon.

"I don't think so," Smith said. "You said she would talk by the end of the week and tomorrow's Friday. If she doesn't talk by midnight tomorrow, There will be consequences for both of you."

Shark laughed at the thought of Smith trying to enforce anything on him. It was an entertaining thought.

"Is something funny?"

"No," Shark said.

"Oh, come on, what are you laughing at?" Smith asked, but Shark had already gone downstairs. This was his chance. He picked up the phone and dialed a familiar number. It was almost time.

Shark had to think of something that would be sure to get some answers, because he had no desire to take the life on an innocent person, especially a young woman. He may be a torturer, but he was no murderer. As he walked back into the room that contained the prisoner, he was trying hard to think of something creative to get a response.

Kasumi looked up and tried to say something, but it was very faint and he couldn't hear her. Shark leaned closer.

"Water," she whispered. "Please...."

Shark looked at the empty glass on the cart. He filled it up and gently tilted her head up. She quickly emptied the glass and closed her eyes.

Kasumi was utterly exhausted and frequently dizzy. When Shark had lifted her head, she almost threw up on herself. It was probably the lack of food compounded with her blood loss that was making her so sick. She was still sore all over, but now she could move without crying. Her wounds had stopped bleeding, but the effects of the fearsome dagger were still very strong.

"What time is it?" she asked hoarsely.

Shark took his watch out of his pocket and showed it to her. The faint light made it hard to see, but she eventually made out the symbols on the digital face. It was close to nine-thirty at night. She didn't even know what day it was.

"I'm going to need you to tell me where the village is. You don't have a lot of time left." Shark said slowly. Kasumi noticed that he looked tired and disheveled.

"You will never know," Kasumi murmured quietly. She had tried to muster a menacing tone, but it was no use. She was too tired for this.

"I'm not going to do any more damage for now, but I'm giving you a warning. The next few hours will probably be far worse than anything you've experienced so far. If you don't tell me soon, you _will_ die tomorrow. Your body can't take any more abuse," Shark said.

He looked remorsefully at Kasumi, clearly seeing the misery in her eyes as tears welled up in them. He knew that the threat of something worse wasn't going to make a difference. She closed her eyes as a stray tear slid down her bruised cheek and Shark knew she was relieved to hear the end would come soon.

Shark got up from his chair and walked slowly out of the door. Smith was talking about something upstairs, but it was too muffled to make out. He walked slowly up the stairs, making sure he wouldn't make any noise, but Smith hung up the phone by the time he got to the top.

"What was that about?" Shark asked suspiciously.  
"Business. It doesn't concern you," Smith said. Shark got the impression he was lying, but you could never be sure with someone like Smith.

"Business, huh? What kind of business?"

"I said it doesn't concern you!"

* * *

Kasumi closed her eyes and tried to fall asleep, not caring whether she woke up again or not. It wasn't going to matter anymore now, she was going to die in this dark frigid room, cold and alone. She never even got to tell Jack how much she cared and she never even got to say goodbye. Her heart ached for one last hug in Jack's strong arms, but it was not to be.

Another tear escaped her grasp as thoughts of her family entered her head. She cried when she thought about her mother and father and longed to see their faces once again, before her life was snuffed out like a dim candle in the harsh wind. And then there was Hayate and all the happy games they had played together as kids.

Ayane was the one she missed most of all, because she couldn't stand to have her sister hate her so much. As a little girl, Ayane had been her most beloved friend, and she would give anything to just have five minutes with her sister, knowing in her heart that Ayane couldn't truly hate her.

But, she had accepted her fate and no matter how much she hated it there was nothing she could do to prevent it. _Well, _she thought, _Hayate won't have to worry about killing me anymore. I'm already as good as dead._ The lights suddenly flickered off and she caught a glimpse of Shark closing the door as he left her alone in the frigid dark.

He wouldn't hear any more of her crying for now, he needed quiet. He needed a plan.

* * *

_Thursday, December 15_

_10:49 P.M._

_Myamoto's Apartment_

Myamoto stared at the computer screen in disbelief. The photos remained an unsolved puzzle, but the list of people had finally been completely decoded. The extent of the list was immense, far bigger than he had anticipated. It had to be at least forty pages long. There were a few names other than the elusive Hayabusa now, but nothing he saw as urgent. Jack had asked specifically for a location, not a name. Most of the entries didn't have any names attached, anyway. But it was still a big break.

Myamoto quickly rushed to get a pen and some paper. He made a quick list of the names he had discovered starting with Hayabusa. Jack would be amazed at the extent of the database, even if it didn't have any addresses, there was probably something useful hidden in the list.

Suddenly his screen went black and a small picture appeared in the corner. It was a picture of a scull and crossbones, laughing hysterically.

"Oh shit!" Myamoto said as he dropped an old slice of pizza into its box.


	8. Chapter Seven

**DISCLAIMER:** I DO NOT OWN ANY DEAD OR ALIVE CHARACTER. THOSE CHARACTERS BELONG TO TECMO, LTD. AND TEAM NINJA. I AM IN NO WAY INTENDING ANY COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT AND I'M NOT MAKING A PROFIT FROM THE USE OF THESE CHARACTERS. ANY CHARACTER NOT A PART OF DEAD OR ALIVE IS MINE AND MINE ALONE.

**Chapter Seven**

_Thursday, December 15_

_11:45 P.M._

_Jack's Apartment_

Hayabusa had left Jack's place at around three that afternoon, leaving Jack alone to think about his offer. He needed to think about how he was going to help without compromising any of the Shinobi.

Jack, however, wasn't concerned at all about Hayabusa. In fact he welcomed the extra help, although he didn't trust the man as far as he could throw him. Especially with Kasumi's life at stake, but Jack would keep a very close eye on the stranger.

He grabbed a pen and a pad of paper and wrote down everything he had found out so far, which wasn't a lot. But it was better than nothing. He scribbled down a few things about the scene of Kasumi's capture and where he had found her sweater in relation to the van and the footprints. He then moved on to the disc, but when he tried to write down what he knew, he drew a complete blank. There was nothing on the disc that had really given him any clues. But he was still hopeful.

He sighed and lay down on the couch, taking out his wallet. He retrieved the old photograph he had found in Kasumi's duffel bag and looked at it carefully.

"Where are you, Kasumi?" he asked into the darkness of his living room.

He fell asleep on the couch, with the picture in his hand. This is how Hayabusa found Jack when he reentered the apartment late that night. He walked over to his sleeping frame, noticing the pad of paper and the picture.

"Wake up."

Jack groggily opened his brown eyes. "You're back? Again? Can't you wait until morning?"

Hayabusa shook his head and took a seat in the recliner next to the couch. "The more time we waste, the harder it will be to find Kasumi."

Hayabusa wasn't actually concerned about finding Kasumi, but he was more concerned about helping Hayate defend the village from this new foe. Kasumi made her choice when she ran away, and she must now accept the consequences of that choice, however dire they may be.

Jack looked at Hayabusa carefully. He was apparently a Shinobi, but he didn't understand why he didn't just kill him.

"Why do you want to help me find a regular person? Shouldn't you be off doing whatever the legendary Shinobi do?" Jack asked mockingly.

"What makes you think I'm a Shinobi? And what makes you think Kasumi is a normal person?" Hayabusa asked.

"Why do I think you're a Shinobi?" Jack tried to look deeply puzzled. "I don't know. Maybe because you're on the list you nearly killed me for!" he yelled.

Hayabusa nodded. "I wasn't going to actually kill you, but that's beside the point. Do you want my help or not? You've had plenty of time to think about it."

Jack thought a moment. It did look like a good idea and he needed the extra help. "Okay, but if you try anything funny..." he let the sentence trail off.

"You have nothing to worry--" Hayabusa started, but was interrupted by the phone ringing in Jack's coat.

"Hello?" Jack asked.

"Jack, the disc you gave me had a fail-safe!" Myamoto said.

"What are you talking about? What happened?!" Jack did not like where this was going. He needed the data on that disc to find Kasumi. And unless Hayabusa was some kind of super-ninja, which was doubtful, he was out of luck.

"It destroyed itself. I'm lucky it didn't take my computer with it. Fortunately, I made a copy of the information I found including the pictures, but anything I didn't decode is gone for good."

"Damn," Jack said, "Did you get any locations or anything like I asked?"

"No. There was a long, and I mean _long_ list of descriptions, though. You only got a tiny piece of it. There are even a few names."

Jack sighed. "Are you sure there weren't any locations?"

"Sure as--"

"Just say yes, or no, Myamoto," Jack interrupted.

"Yes, I'm sure. Why are you so bent on locations anyway? We have a list of actual Shinobi!" There was a pause. "Speaking of locations, where did you get this disc?"

"It's a long story." Jack said. "Listen, it's late. Why don't you go to sleep. That's what I'm gonna do."

"Okay. If I find anything in the photos when I'm done enhancing them, I'll call you."

"I appreciate it," Jack said with a yawn.

He hung up the phone and thrust it back into his coat pocket. He turned to Hayabusa, who had opened the window Jack presumed he used to gain entry to his apartment.

"Are you leaving?" Jack asked, relieved.

"Yes. Tomorrow will be a big day. I will meet you downstairs in the morning." Hayabusa said as he climbed deftly out of the window.

Jack started to reply, but his new ally had vanished.

_What a long day, _he thought. It was just now that he realized how tired he really was. He put the photo back in his wallet, took off his black boots, and plopped down on his couch. He was asleep as soon as he landed.

* * *

_Friday, December 16_

_8:12 A.M._

_Organization Compound 21_

Friday morning was darkened by black storm clouds, and as Kasumi listened to the thunder boom outside, she again thought of her home. She recalled that many years ago she and Ayane would play happily in the rain, without a care in the world. But those days were gone forever and she would soon be relieved of her sorrow.

She looked over to the door as she heard approaching footsteps, dreading the hours of torment that were to come. Kasumi sighed as the door opened and the fluorescent lights were turned on. She saw Shark's frame filling the doorway. He was carrying a large black box in one hand and some cables in the other.

"Today I'm not stopping until I get some answers or you're dead," Shark said in an icy tone.

Kasumi blinked her eyes as the tears she was holding back threatened to spill over. Shark walked reluctantly into the room followed by Smith. He set the black box down and connected the red and black cables to it. The other end of the cables ended in long copper spikes.

Smith thought of the words the girl had said on the second day of her captivity. _I'll die before I tell you anything._ It looked as though she were going to do just that. He had gathered a long list of Shinobi to go after, when this one died. Her continued resistance angered him and he no longer cared for an answer. He wanted to see this come to a painful end.

Shark looked at the grinning figure of Smith standing behind him as he powered up the small electric generator he had carried in. Smith was a man who had been accustomed to getting whatever he wanted. He just couldn't take failure. Shark had a plan in mind that would show him how to lose. But that would be a last resort, because he still wanted the money. He picked up the ends of the sparking wires and slowly walked approached Kasumi. He noticed that she had regained some mobility in her muscles, because she was fighting her restraints with every fiber of her body.

He took the pointed spikes and stabbed them into strategic locations of her body, avoiding all major internal organs. She wailed in excruciating anguish as the current pumped through her. Again, all of her muscles contracted, but this time it wasn't voluntary.

As Smith watched Shark electrocute the young Shinobi, his phone rang in his shirt pocket. He pulled it out and looked at the ID

"Right on time," he said to himself. He walked outside and shut the door behind him. He would need another one, soon.

"Smith," he said into the receiver. He had to yell over the loud agonized cries from the room that penetrated even the thick wooden door.

"What's all that racket?" Duncan asked from the other end of the line. "Is that the same girl you had me capture earlier?"

"Yes, but it should end soon, which is why I called last night. Are you ready for another job?"

* * *

­­Kasumi had never felt such pain as electrocution. It felt like she was being pulled apart from the inside out. It was unbearable, and she knew Shark was right when he had told her she would die. There was no way her frail, weakened body could take any more damage. But it had to end soon, didn't it? All she had to do was wait.

"Don't you want to live?!" Shark yelled at her. "Tell me!"

Kasumi cried loudly. "How can I?" she sobbed. "I would rather die than threaten the lives of my friends and family."

Shark shook his head as he thought about Kasumi's answer. Now instead of being some easy, but not so easy, money, this girl was someone's daughter, sister, or friend. There were people out there who cared about her, and he was going to destroy her for some quick cash. Shark quickly shook the thoughts out of his mind and stabbed her with the spikes again.

She screamed a horrible cry of pain, and her body was going numb. It was finally ending. She could actually feel her strength ebbing away. Through her tears the room darkened, and after a few long seconds, Shark finally jerked the metal spikes from her skin. Her wounds leaked blood over her sweating skin, but the intense throbbing pain the spikes had left behind felt so much better than having the electricity flow through her.

"You will die this way? You would lose everything for them?"

"Yes...I...would," Kasumi panted.

* * *

_Friday,_ _December 16_

_10:31 A.M._

_Jack's Apartment_

Jack awoke on the floor the next morning with a kink in his neck. The usual rays of morning sunlight had been replaced with bright, violent bursts of lightning. He put on his boots and walked into the kitchen to make breakfast when he remembered Hayabusa, who was probably waiting downstairs for him. Jack rushed to the door and walked down to the lobby, where he spotted Hayabusa. He wore the usual serious expression and stared outside at the freezing rain through the glass doors.

"Don't you ever smile?" Jack asked casually.

Hayabusa got up from the bench he had been sitting on. "Hello, Jack. I need to know everything you know about Kasumi's disappearance."

"And then...?" Jack asked.

"We'll figure out what to do next." Hayabusa answered. "What do you know?"

Jack took a seat on the bench. "I know that someone had been hunting her down for a long time. She called me from a pay phone three or four days ago asking for help. She said that she couldn't stay in the garage she had been living in, and needed my assistance. I asked her to come stay with me, and she reluctantly agreed, but when she went for a walk the next evening, she vanished. I found her pink sweater near a forest trail not too far from here. There was also a van, but it had been ditched. I think they used another vehicle to carry her the rest of the way to wherever they took her."

Hayabusa nodded. "Is that all?"

Jack glared up at him. "No, I found a disc in the van, but it was destroyed before I could get anything really useful out of it. I have a associate of mine working on the information I do have, but he said it would take awhile. The pictures he's clearing up for me should be ready by noon." Jack looked at his watch. It read ten-forty.

He got up and faced Hayabusa. "Now, do you have any ideas?"

Hayabusa thought a moment before answering. "I would say we should check out the scene of the kidnapping, but the rain has probably washed everything away. What about the garage you said she was staying at?"

Jack shook his head. "No good. I've been all over that place and I didn't find a thing."

"Shouldn't we check anyway?" Hayabusa asked.

"I told you there's nothing there." Jack said stubbornly.

"I'm going to the garage with, or without you. Maybe I'll find something you missed." Hayabusa argued .

Jack grinned. _This guy even argued calmly, he thought._ "Fine, but I still don't think you'll find anything. I've been there twice, and never found anything."

After about fifteen minutes in the unpleasant silence, Jack finally pulled the Jeep into the now familiar road that led to the garage. Ice was gathering on the cracked pavement and he made sure to drive slow. He was getting tired of running in circles. _This must be how a dog feels when he can't catch his tail,_ he thought bitterly.

After they had crawled through the hole in the wall, Jack turned on his small black flashlight and handed Hayabusa the large yellow one he grabbed from the apartment before they left.

Jack pointed his flashlight at the ramp that led up to the second level. "Kasumi was staying on the second level. You go check up there, while I look around down here. And watch out for holes in the floor."

Hayabusa nodded and walked slowly towards the area bathed in the beam of Jack's light. After he had left the first floor, he activated his own light and looked around. Water was forming icicles on the rusted frame of the building and the rain poured through the roof making small waterfalls.

The place was empty at first glance. Hayabusa turned and spotted a small black object in the corner. As he drew closer, he recognized it as one of the picture frames that were common in the Shinobi village. The glass had been broken and the picture was missing. He picked up the frame and moved on to the opposite side of the room. He knew that Kasumi wouldn't leave anything obvious, and that's why he had insisted on returning to the garage. Hayabusa looked carefully at the roof as the thunder roared outside. There didn't appear to be any clues or hidden areas he could find. It looked like Jack was right.

As he was walking down the ramp Jack called over to him. "Hey, come check this out."

Hayabusa looked down at the symbol painted on the ground. It was a symbol that the Shinobi assassins used to mark an area after they cleared it. They must have painted this after Kasumi went to stay with Jack, which meant that 'the people hunting her down' as Jack had put it, worked for the mysterious third party.

"It's probably graffiti. I think we should check in the larger ruins." Hayabusa pointed at the remains of the refinery. If the people that were watching Kasumi were staking out the place, he suspected that would be where they camped.

"Yeah sure. I haven't checked there yet. You lead the way, I'll be right behind you," Jack said.

He waited until Hayabusa had walked back to the Jeep, before retrieving his small digital camera from his jacket pocket. Jack snapped several photos of the mysterious symbol painted on the floor.

He still didn't trust Hayabusa and Jack's experience as a detective told him that the man had something to hide. Myamoto would know if this wasn't average graffiti, but he would have to wait awhile before he could show him the pictures.

Jack drove the Jeep up to the factory, trying hard not to get stuck in the mud. It was in considerably worse shape than the smaller garage. The left side of the building had collapsed exposing the rusted and outdated machinery. The right side of the structure wasn't much better. It was scorched black from the fire, and looked like it could easily collapse at any given second. Vines covered the entire complex hiding it very well among the trees. Unlike the garage, the front doors were fine and they didn't have to search for an alternate entrance. Jack noticed that the vines that had been covering the door were cut, and laying on the ground. They were still a little green, so they must've been cut within the week. They walked inside, out of the rain and into the darkness.

* * *

_Friday, December 16_

_11:57 A.M._

_Organization Compound 21_

It was almost noon when Shark decided to put the generator away, before Kasumi's heart stopped or exploded. He had expected to get an answer by now.

Smith entered the small cold room, wearing a drenched raincoat and an angry expression. He took off the bright yellow jacket and walked up to Kasumi. "Step aside, Shark. She will talk now, or she will be killed."

Kasumi whimpered weakly, a dark fear welling up inside her. The electricity had nearly destroyed her, and she felt numb from the cold. So she simply lay there, helpless and crying, as Smith beat her with brutal force. Every second, every breath, felt excruciating to her, but in some way she couldn't feel it. It was like she was somewhere else and this wasn't happening at all. It was simply a nightmare. Jack would wake her up soon, and then everything would be all right again.

Shark noticed her eyelids slowly droop and then close as she continued to take the violent blows that Smith was dishing out, and he knew that he had to act now, or she would never open her eyes again. It was time to move on to plan B. He wasn't ready to take her life, and she didn't deserve to die like this. No one did.

In just a few minutes, Smith had hit her so many times, and with such cruel force, that he could no longer raise his fist to strike her bleeding and battered body. He left the room to go get an ice pack for his exhausted muscles.

Kasumi wasn't moving, but Shark could see that she was breathing heavily and sobbing. Her lower lip was bloody and swollen and her nose was bleeding as well, but it wasn't broken. There were many large welts and bruises on her exposed waist and legs, and many of the gashes he had carved into her earlier were oozing with crimson fluid. Shark was sure she was in agonizing misery. Surprisingly enough, nothing seemed to be broken or dislocated, except for her hip. He shook her battered shoulder until her eyes slowly fluttered open, tears flowing down her cheeks.

"Just finish me...," Kasumi moaned. "Please...end...the pain..."

Shark leaned close to her ear. "Lie. Make up something if you ever want to see the light of day again," he whispered.

"What?" She whispered. "Why?"

"Do you want to stay alive?!"

Kasumi flinched at his loud voice and nodded.

"Then do it. I'll explain later."

Just as he stood back up, Smith re-entered the room, and took a seat by the door. He was holding his shoulder, but he obviously was satisfied with the look of pure terror in Kasumi's copper eyes. He stared her directly in the eye and smirked.

Shark gave her a slight nod as she looked away from Smith, hoping she would understand.

Kasumi got the signal and quickly thought of a good lie, knowing that if she screwed this up, she was dead. Shark raised his fist and punched her in her beaten right hip, where Smith had brutally pounded her earlier. Her vision again blurred with tears as she cried out in anguish.

"All right! I'll tell you what you want to know. Just stop. Please!" she wailed.

Smith instantly took interest and got up from his chair to stand by Shark.

"Where is it?" Shark asked.

Kasumi paused to catch her breath and Smith slapped her to hasten her answer.

"It's in the Karasu Valley! Don't hurt me anymore! I-I can't..." Kasumi's sentence trailed off as she quietly sobbed.

The Karasu Valley was on the opposite side of the mountain, well away from any Shinobi territory. There was no way that Smith would find them way out there.

She winced as Smith gripped her impaled hand roughly and squeezed hard in a mock handshake. "Nice doing business with you."

He turned to face Shark with a satisfied grin. "Kill her anyway, and make it slow," he said as he walked out of the room.

Shark nodded.


	9. Chapter Eight

**DISCLAIMER:** I DO NOT OWN ANY DEAD OR ALIVE CHARACTER. THOSE CHARACTERS BELONG TO TECMO, LTD. AND TEAM NINJA. I AM IN NO WAY INTENDING ANY COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT AND I'M NOT MAKING A PROFIT FROM THE USE OF THESE CHARACTERS. ANY CHARACTER NOT A PART OF DEAD OR ALIVE IS MINE AND MINE ALONE.

**Chapter Eight**

_Friday, December 16_

_12:24 P.M._

_Myamoto's Apartment_

Myamoto watched as the photos revealed themselves on the glowing computer monitor. There wasn't much to them that he hadn't noticed before. The people in the picture were definitely Shinobi. Either that, or a bunch of drunks decided to play dress-up in the middle of the woods, which was highly unlikely. He munched on a candy bar and continued to scroll through the photos.

The other pictures were of various people and kids just taking a walk or talking on the forest trails. Nothing to get excited about. It must have been part of the identification chart he had decrypted earlier. There weren't any outstanding landmarks, but it didn't matter anyway. He had proof!

Myamoto picked up the phone and dialed Jack's number. After a few rings, he answered. "Hello?" He sounded irritated.

"Jack I've finished the photos and I was right. They are Shinobi! It's awesome!"

"Great, now do you think you could find out where it was taken?" Jack asked.

There was a loud crash at the other end of the line.

"Ouch! Damn pothole!" Jack yelled angrily.

"Where are you?"

"Um...out for a walk."

"Come on, Jack. If you're going to lie, at least do it right. It's pouring outside. Even the animals aren't outside today. At least not the smart ones."

Jack sighed. "You caught me. I'm at the old paper refinery. Can you find out where the photo was taken, or not?"

"No, there isn't anything distinct about any of the pictures."

"This day cannot get any worse."

"What are you doing at the refinery?" Myamoto asked. "Is that where she is?"

"No, unfortunately. But it's close to where she was living."

Myamoto was confused. "So why are you there?"

He heard Jack yell at someone or something on the other end of the line. "I can't really talk right now, man. Thanks for the update and

call back if you find anything new."

Then Jack hung up the phone.

That was odd. Myamoto turned back to his computer and proceeded to look at all the pictures. There was one picture that stood out from the crowd. It was a picture of a man with a bow and arrow shooting something off screen. The area was bathed in a bright spotlight and the plants were being blown down by strong wind. Then it hit him. He was looking at the man who eliminated the Japanese elite squad.

"Someone must've been staking out the woods for a long time," he said to himself.

Some of the photos were dated to last week while this one was dated five years ago. He walked up and looked outside through the blinds at the downpour outside. He again wondered where Jack had found the disc and whether his friend was still alive. Myamoto personally thought she was probably dead. If the shinobi took her, they would have killed her. They don't take any prisoners. But he just couldn't get the nerve to tell Jack this. Besides, if he knew anything about Jack, he knew that he wouldn't give up 'til he found a body. Myamoto walked back to his computer and began running the photos through a filter he had made, to test their authenticity.

* * *

_Friday, December 16_

_12:32 P.M._

_Burnt Refinery Ruins_

Jack walked towards the back of the room he assumed to be the lobby. The elevator on the left side of the scorched desk indicated that this place had three stories above ground and two basement levels. He decided that they should stick together in case something collapsed and help was needed. Jack had already fallen into a large pothole near the entrance when they walked in.

Jack pointed at the elevator with his flashlight. "Do you think it still works?"

Hayabusa shook his head. "Don't be an idiot. Where are the stairs to this place.?"

"You're asking the wrong guy. You know as much about this place as I do," Jack said.

Jack walked over to a big metal door and examined the half melted sticker carefully. "'--ency use only.' What do you want to bet that this is the emergency stairwell?" Jack asked Hayabusa.

"I don't bet. Open the door." Hayabusa replied from the opposite side of the room.

Jack smashed his shoulder into the door knocking it out of the rusty hinges. The stairwell was there as he had predicted, but it only went up.

"What was wrong with the handle?" Hayabusa asked as he approached Jack.

"Nothing, I just always wanted to do that. Why do you think the emergency exit only goes up and not into the basement?"

"I don't know. Maybe all that's down there is a storage area and they didn't need an exit." Hayabusa said.

Jack shook his head. "I still think it's a little odd."

Jack started walking up the stairs and stooped at the second floor. This door was worse than the one on the first level. He raised his boot and kicked as hard as he could, again derailing the door from its hinges.

Jack looked at Hayabusa. "That one was broken."

The second floor consisted of many old machines, tanks, and conveyer belts. The floor ended abruptly at the far end of the building, where the collapsed part began. There didn't seem to be any evidence of someone occupying the area, like he had hoped.

"There's nothing here. Let's check upstairs." Jack said.

The third floor's door actually worked. Jack opened it and stepped though onto the scorched tile floor. This level seemed to be the area where the owners' offices and break rooms were located. There were several old vending machines and an old broken television. Jack walked up to one of the candy bar machines.

"Want one?" he asked Hayabusa. "I have enough change for two."

"You honestly don't believe that those still work do you?" Hayabusa asked.

Jack grinned and turned back to the machine. He raised his flashlight and shattered the glass front. Then he reached in and retrieved a package of gum and waved it at Hayabusa.

Hayabusa merely shook his head and walked towards the nearest office. Jack was starting to get on his nerves. He illuminated the office in the bright glow of his flashlight.

"Jack, take a look at this," Hayabusa said.

Jack walked over to the office doorway and pocketed his new pack of gum. "What is _that_?"

"I was hoping you could answer the same question." Hayabusa said grimly.

* * *

_Friday, December 16_

_12:45 P.M._

_Organization Compound 21_

Shark grinned as Smith left the room. His plan had worked.

"Like fish in a bucket," he muttered as he turned to follow him upstairs.

Smith turned and faced him as soon as they reached the top of the stairs.

"Great work! You'll get your money as soon as the girl has been killed." Smith said.

"Why do you want to kill her? She told you what you wanted. Let her leave."

Smith never stopped grinning. "Because she didn't tell me right away. I don't like defiance. Plus she could identify me, if I'm ever caught. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some Shinobi to hunt."

Smith turned and quickly walked outside towards his old brown truck, in the middle of the storm. Shark waited until he was sure Smith was gone before running downstairs. This was going to end now, once and for all.

Kasumi looked up as Shark walked back into the room. She noticed that he was different somehow. Like a new person.

"Why did you want me to lie. It won't make a difference. He'll just be even more angry and want to kill me himself. Why delay the inevitable?"

Shark never answered her questions as he treated her many extensive abrasions and bruises. He tugged the cover off of his cart and began to shred it into strips with the fearsome dagger he had used earlier. As he reached for a small bottle of rubbing alcohol, he glanced at his watch.

"This is going to burn, but I need to dress these gashes if you're going anywhere."

Kasumi was puzzled, but grateful. "I can handle it."

Shark had absolutely no doubt of that. He used one of the pieces of cloth and soaked it the alcohol. Then he cleaned away the dried blood that had gathered over her skin. She tensed up, but didn't make a sound as he cleaned out the open cuts. Any recovery her torn muscles may have had was reversed by the electricity, but she would have to move someday.

As Shark used the rest of the ripped cover to wrap up her more serious injuries, he realized that Kasumi was in far worse shape than he had initially realized. There were only enough bandages to dress the serious gashes on her waist and her upper thigh. She would just have to be careful about the others. The stab wounds from the electric spikes weren't deep enough to worry about, so he basically ignored them. He finished and left the room to get the keys that would unlock Kasumi's cuffs. He was going to have to hurry, for he knew Smith wouldn't be gone for more than an hour and a half. But that wasn't a problem. This decision would cost him, but he no longer cared about Smith's ill-gotten money.

As he returned to the cold room, he took the keys he had retrieved from upstairs and released Kasumi's hands and ankles from the cuffs on the table. Then he carefully picked her up, making sure not to jar her around, and set her down in the chair he had been using earlier. Shark looked down at the empty, blood stained table and sighed. Most of her tattered skirt and T-shirt was in a bloody mess on the surface of the table.

_Did I really do that to her? Was it that bad?_

Shark shook his head and turned his attention back to Kasumi, who was struggling to get out of the collapsible lawn chair. It then became abundantly clear to him that she wasn't going to make it back to town safely on her own. But escorting her back wasn't a risk he was about to take. All he was going to do was free her. After all, she was Shinobi, and if anyone could make it, she could.

Kasumi stood up slowly, feeling the full agony of her bruised and torn muscles, but she kept silent, suppressing her tears. However, as soon as she put any weight on the hip that was thrashed by Smith, she collapsed to the cold hard floor in a pitiful weeping heap. After she had fallen twice, Shark helped her up and set her back down in the chair.

"Wait here. I'll be back."

"Why are you doing this? He'll kill you," Kasumi wondered. "He'll kill us both."

Shark simply grinned. "Ifhe can find us."

He left the room and walked upstairs. What was left of her clothes was not going to keep her from freezing to death out in the woods, so she obviously needed protection. Food and water wouldn't be a bad idea either. He quickly slammed together a sandwich and filled a large glass of water, then he returned to where Kasumi was waiting.

Kasumi eagerly took the food from Shark's hand and devoured it like a starving animal. After she had finished, he handed her the glass of water. She needed something warm to get her home, and he instantly remembered the heavy wool blanket he had used to cover her up earlier.

Kasumi put down the empty glass and watched with piqued curiosity as Shark rummaged through the bare cart. Finally, he retrieved a thick brown blanket and handed it to her.

"Don't lose this. Your survival depends on it."

She responded with a slow nod, taking the warm cover and tightly wrapping it around her shivering body, instantly feeling much better. Then she again tried to stand up, this time using the back of the metal chair for support. She didn't fall, but she was barely able to stand the pain shooting through her right leg. Kasumi gasped and took a careful step towards the door with her good leg, putting even more stress on her hip. Then she dragged her other leg away from the chair, and as soon as she did, crashed to the ground once again, almost losing hope of escape.

Shark shook his head and helped her to her feet, letting her lean on him as they made their way down the long gray hall, hearing the thunder roar outside. When they arrived at the flight of stairs, she tripped and landed on her side, letting out a sharp cry as she hit the concrete floor. Shark reluctantly stooped down and picked her up, knowing that she would probably never make it to town alive. He carried her up the stairs and set her down by the front door of the inner building.

"This is as far as I'm going to help you. I wish you luck. You're going to need it."

"But I still need help," Kasumi said with a worry clearly showing in her eyes. "I won't be able to get anywhere like this."

"If I don't leave now Smith will return and find you gone, and guess who he'll come after? Me, not you. I've got to get out of here, and you should do the same. If you stay too close, he'll take out his anger on you. You can handle things on your own, I'm sure."

With those words Shark stepped outside and ran through the double doors of the bigger structure. leaving her alone in the larger empty building. She looked up at the tin roof of the structure housing the smaller facility she had just exited, hearing the rain pound loudly against the thin metal. She guessed it was some kind of old storage facility or maintenance building, and it looked as though it hadn't been used in years. It was then that she realized that she was utterly lost, and had absolutely no idea where to go, or which direction to take to get back to town, if she was even near town.

She sadly limped towards the doors Shark had just used, and fell several times before she finally made it through the exit.

* * *

_Friday, December 16_

_1:10 P.M._

_Burnt Refinery Ruins_

Jack and Hayabusa stared at the small device lying on the scorched tile floor of the ruined office, both feeling very uneasy about their current situation.

Hayabusa was completely calm. "It looks like some sort of explosive."

"Really, I hadn't noticed," Jack said sarcastically.

"Well, can you deactivate it?" Hayabusa's patience was wearing thin.

"Do I look like I know how to deactivate it?!"

"I don't have time for this. Can you take it out or not?"

Jack popped his knuckles. "Sure."

Hayabusa noticed that Jack didn't sound too confident, but he kept silent. The device was sitting underneath a small shattered window. Jack knelt down and took a closer look at the bomb, praying that it would be simple to shut down. The timer had activated itself when Hayabusa stepped into the room, telling him that it was triggered by motion, which really didn't say anything useful about the bomb itself. The explosives looked like C-4, but he wasn't sure. The timer read twenty-three seconds. Jack looked down at the small device and made a hasty decision. He grabbed the bomb and threw it out the window as hard as he could sending it flying into the dense woods behind the refinery. Luckily, it didn't go off.

For once Hayabusa wore an angry expression.

"So he does show emotion. You know, I was beginning to think you were a robot," Jack commented.

Hayabusa glared at Jack. "You nearly killed us! I thought you said you could disarm the device."

"You asked if I could take it out, not if I could disarm it," Jack replied casually.

Hayabusa crossed his arms and walked to the door, again regaining his calm. "Come on. We found what we were looking for."

"Not exactly. All we found was a motion sensitive bomb and some severed vines. Not proof that someone had been watching the garage."

"What more do you need?" Hayabusa asked.

Jack shrugged. "I don't know, but this doesn't give us any useful information."

Just as he finished his sentence, Jack heard the loud boom as the bomb exploded shaking the already fragile building to its foundation. Fortunately, it didn't collapse. _Whoever built this place, knew what he was doing, _he thought as he stood up.

Hayabusa followed Jack back downstairs. The bomb had given them evidence of someone being here, but they still had nothing to lead them to Kasumi, or who exactly was watching her.

Suddenly Jack's phone rang.

"Hello?" he asked into the receiver.

"Hey, Jack, I think I've found an address. I was going through a photo filter to make sure the photos weren't fake and I found something. If you separate the photos into two layers, you can see some writing in the corner. It looks like a transmission log of some sort. I've traced the frequency that was listed on the picture and it looks like the transmissions were being broadcast to somewhere in the woods right outside of town." Myamoto said.

"Did you find out if there was anything at the coordinates?" Jack asked quickly.

Myamoto paused. "Not exactly. I said I traced it to somewhere in the woods. My trace was blocked before I could get an exact location. Sorry."

"Okay, what's the nearest estimate?" Jack asked.

"As far as I can calculate, it could be anywhere in the big park on the edge of town. There's rumors that there's an intricate series of tunnels underneath the ground there. It would be a perfect hideout, but no one has ever found any entrances."

"Then what makes people believe there's tunnels?" Jack asked.

"Well, I used to wonder the same thing until I asked one of my friends to check it out. He has one of those ground penetrating sonar things. Anyway, the readings showed huge empty spots underground, but they were too organized and square to be caves. We spent all day trying to find an entrance. We even crawled into a storm drain, but we never found anything."

"Thanks. I'll go check it out. Keep looking and see if you can find anything new."

"You don't have to tell me again. I know how important this is."

Jack hung up the phone and looked at Hayabusa.

"I think we have something to go on," Jack said with a grin.

"What do you know?"

Jack walked towards the front door. "I'll tell you on the way, but we have to leave now."

* * *

_Friday, December 16_

_1:15 P.M._

_Organization Compound 21_

Kasumi fell through the loose double doors and let out an exasperated sob when she found herself lying on the cold concrete floor of another long dark hallway. At the end of the hall she could make out another flight of stairs and a large brown door.

Tightening the blanket around her bloody and bruised figure, Kasumi commanded herself to struggle to her feet, and slowly made her way towards the flight of stairs. She had to hurry and get out before Smith returned, but when she tried to speed up, she collapsed from the terrible pain in her leg.

Eventually, she reached the end of the passage and managed to crawl up to the top of the stairs, one torturous step after another. When she reached the top, Kasumi hobbled through the thick steel door and walked outside into the icy rain. She was entirely unprepared for the wave of cold that greeted her. It soaked into her bones, and made her wounds ache.

She limped further into the storm and scanned her surroundings with clouded vision. It took her a while to recognize where she was and then it hit her. She was at the far end of the dense forest park where she was taken Monday night. The cold rain continued to sting her as she stumbled pitifully through the mud to the gravel path that led to town. She guessed the city was only a mere five miles away, but she doubted she would make it half that distance before succumbing to the harsh environment.

Deciding that if she were to have even a slight chance of surviving, she would need something to help her walk. Immediately, Kasumi spotted a large tree limb and made her way towards it.

By the time she reached the tree she was so worn out that she simply dropped to the ground like a sack of flour, not wanting to move ever again. But it wasn't an option to just lay there in the cold, so she dragged herself towards the broken limb and proceeded to make a walking stick. Since she had no knife to help her, it took Kasumi about an hour to break off all the unwanted twigs, leaving only the base of the limb.

Triumphantly, she used the long piece of wood to climb to her feet, making sure that the blanket was snugly draped over her. She was getting used to the piercing pain she felt in her hip, but it was much easier now that she had something to rest her weight on.

After about twenty minutes of trudging through the dense forest, the sound of a truck approaching could be clearly heard over the storm. Then she remembered Smith.

Acting purely on instinct and reflex, Kasumi tried to run and hide, but once again she fell to the wet muddy ground. She had barely managed to crawl behind a tree, before the rusty brown truck appeared on the road behind her. It was moving slowly down the path towards the tunnel entrance, like a wild lion stalking its prey. It was like Smith could sense her anxiety. She was still very close to the tunnel due to all the time she spent making her cane.

Then she was filled with fear as Smith's angry voiced echoed throughout the woods, and she knew that he had found out about her lie. Normally, she could have made it back to town in about four hours, but in her current condition Kasumi estimated she wouldn't get back until early tomorrow morning, if she got back at all.

She decided to get moving before Smith came back to look for her. She would head straight towards the thicker part of the woods and try to make it to town from there. Even though it would make her journey harder, the trees and shrubs would keep her hidden well and slightly shield her from the harsh wind and frigid rain. But she was unprotected and vulnerable now, making an easy target for the Shinobi assassins. There would be no chance for her if she was found. Kasumi slowly staggered to her feet and began the long journey back to town.

Smith was infuriated. The information Kasumi had given him was false. He had sent a group of his men to check the area out, but there was nothing there. Not even a tent, much less a secret Shinobi village. He hoped that Shark hadn't killed her yet, because he wanted to rip her apart, one piece at a time.

He stormed into the basement of the building where he was keeping the captive Shinobi girl, but when he arrived in the room, she was gone. At first he thought Shark had finished the job and disposed of the girl's remains, but when he couldn't find Shark he began to wonder. Then he noticed the bloody shoe prints on the floor. Smith ran back outside to see if there were more tracks, and sure enough he found some embedded in the mud. Shark wasn't supposed to leave the complex until the job was done and his footprints were much larger than the ones on the ground.

Now there was absolutely no doubt in Smith's mind that Shark had freed Kasumi and left. It looked like the girl had fallen many times before she made it to the woods, which proved that she was traveling alone, and not with the aid of Shark.

"At least she's going to suffer as she tries to escape," he said to himself. Then he turned to the woods. "I'll hunt you down if it's the last thing I do!" he yelled into the distance.

As he walked back inside the his underground HQ, Smith reached in his pocket and grabbed his small cell phone. The girl _was_ going to die, and she would die today.

"Time for a slight change in plans." Smith said coldly into the receiver.

* * *

_Friday, December 16_

_7:01 P.M._

_Forest Park_

Kasumi trudged on, alone and weary in the cold pouring rain, and slowly losing hope of seeing another day's light. Due to her loss of blood and shortage of food, she couldn't stay warm and became frequently dizzy, but she willed herself to continue. However, her damaged aching muscles was making any progress miserable and agonizing. The blanket wasn't doing a very good job of keeping her from freezing, but the trees of the forest were keeping the storm from making things too overwhelming. She looked at her surroundings and judged that she had traveled at least two and a half miles, which put her halfway to town.

But how long had she been wandering through the woods? It had felt like many hours since she left the prison behind, but how many hours? Three? Four? Six? There was no way to tell, since the sun was hidden behind a dense wall of clouds.

It had been dark for a long time when the clouds had finally given up on their bombardment of the area. Kasumi was so tired and her vision was dim, but when she looked up to the stars, she felt safe. Finally, she was free. All she had to do was go another two and a half miles and everything would be okay again. She wondered, not for the first time, if Jack had tried to find her, or if he had dismissed her disappearance as a reluctance to accept his help.

She prayed that he would know she didn't want to leave him, and that she appreciated his hospitality more than anything. Kasumi had often refused his help before, but now she needed it more than ever. Her life depended on it.


	10. Chapter Nine

**DISCLAIMER:** I DO NOT OWN ANY DEAD OR ALIVE CHARACTER. THOSE CHARACTERS BELONG TO TECMO, LTD. AND TEAM NINJA. I AM IN NO WAY INTENDING ANY COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT AND I'M NOT MAKING A PROFIT FROM THE USE OF THESE CHARACTERS. ANY CHARACTER NOT A PART OF DEAD OR ALIVE IS MINE AND MINE ALONE.

**Chapter Nine**

_Friday, December 16_

_9:27 P.M._

_Forest Park_

Jack had taken Hayabusa back to his apartment to eat lunch at around one thirty or two o'clock. As they ate, they discussed the information Myamoto had disclosed to Jack over the phone. They each shared almost everything they knew about the woods, arguing only a few times.

A couple hours after nightfall, they were finally on their way to the forest, each man having a clear idea of where they were going to search and what they would do if they found anything important..

Jack parked his Jeep off to the side of the muddy forest path, not far from where Kasumi had gone missing. The rain had slowed and the clouds were beginning to separate, which would make it easier for him to search the area. He glanced at his glowing blue watch and turned to Hayabusa.

"It's about nine thirty, so we're going to need to hurry if we want to find anything tonight. Myamoto said that the transmissions were being directed somewhere into these woods. I think we should split up and meet back here at midnight," Jack said.

Hayabusa nodded. "Good plan. I'll check out the west side of the woods, and you go east. If your friend is right about the tunnels, there has to be an entrance around here somewhere."

Jack took off his wristwatch and gave it to Hayabusa. "Remember, midnight. If you're not here I'm leaving without you."

"If anyone's going to be late, it will probably be you." Hayabusa said as he grabbed the watch. "How are you going to tell what time it is?"

Jack pointed at his jacket pocket. "My phone tells time. Now get moving. We don't have much time," Jack said as he climbed out of the Jeep.

He turned on his black pen light and scoured the woods for anything helpful, not finding any entrances or caves that would lead to an underground base. If Kasumi were here, she could probably find an entrance in no time, but if she were here Jack wouldn't be in this mess. He shook away his sad thoughts and concerns, and concentrated all of his energy on finding a clue of some sort.

Without warning, something flashed in Jack's peripheral vision and vanished as quickly as it had appeared. He took out his black 9mm and walked stealthily towards the spot where he had heard the sound, making sure to be extra quiet. The rain had driven many animals into hiding, so he doubted it was just a wolf or something, but what else could it be?

"Kasumi?" Jack whispered cautiously. "Is anyone out there?"

After half an hour of looking for something he wasn't even sure was there, Jack decided to refocus his attention on looking for a tunnel entrance again. Distractions weren't something he could afford right now.

It was almost ten forty-five when Jack stumbled upon a ranger station. He guessed that if someone were to put a tunnel entrance somewhere, he would most likely put it inside an inconspicuous building, like a park ranger facility.

Jack walked up to the door of the darkened cabin and tried the door. It was locked, and this door was much stronger than the ones he had broken earlier. Jack grinned and decided to try a more forceful means of entry. He stood back and fired two quick shots into the lock, decimating it. The door slowly swung open and Jack walked in like he owned the place. At first glance, nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but that was to be expected. After all, there wouldn't be any neon arrows telling him where to look. He walked up to a bookshelf containing all kinds of books on local wildlife and forest fire prevention and knocked all of the books to the floor, hoping to find a secret button. When he didn't, Jack pushed the bookshelf aside and examined the newly exposed wall. There were no cracks or handles that would activate a door, so he moved onto the desk at the opposite end of the room. Quickly, he emptied all of the drawers and moved the desk to check for a trap door or something.

"Nothing," he muttered to himself. "This is just peachy."

Suddenly there was the unmistakable sound of a shotgun being cocked behind him. He slowly raised his hands and began to turn around.

"Don't move." a strong voice said from behind him.

Jack froze immediately, cursing himself for being so reckless.

* * *

Hayabusa wasn't having any better luck than Jack. He had noticed several places that could have been entrances, but they were all dead ends. He checked the watch that Jack had given him and noticed that it was already eleven. Calmly, he placed the timepiece in his satchel. He had been searching for almost two hours and had found absolutely nothing. 

Hayabusa looked up as something glinted off his flashlight in a nearby tree. He paused a moment before deciding to take a look at whatever was in the tree and give looking for an entrance a rest. Hayabusa thought the whole idea of secret tunnels was ridiculous, but he really didn't have any better ideas, and Hayate was depending on him. But maybe whatever was in the tree would give him some answers.

He climbed the tree quickly with all the skill of a ninja and discovered something strange among the many leaves.

"What is this," he said to himself as he picked up the strange gadget.

It looked like a small camera, but what would they be doing way out here in the forest? Hayabusa pocketed the camera and bathed the surrounding trees with his flashlight. There were several more glimmers in the area and he managed to recover about twenty more cameras from among the wet leaves.

Hayabusa thought about the devices and why someone would cover the forest with them. It made no sense. Then he remembered the list Jack had been reading the night he had met him. Of course! The list of descriptions had been made by the cameras. It made perfect sense, although the news was disturbing. Hayate would be distressed on hearing about this, but apparently the cameras were just to catalogue the Shinobi, not to find them. This must be how Kasumi was caught. She wouldn't have been expecting an attack by anyone but the Shinobi, so she would have been easily captured by these new foes.

Hayabusa decided he should probably to get back to looking for the tunnels. He needed to find this new enemy's headquarters, before it was too late. This strange new foe was more dangerous than he had anticipated. If they could afford to buy all these cameras and place them in the woods, they would eventually find the Shinobi. Unless he stopped them.

Jack slowly raised his hands in the air and turned to face the man with the shotgun.

"I'm looking for something. Do you know if there's any tunnels around here?" Jack asked the park ranger. He felt like a complete idiot.

The ranger laughed. "Are you drunk, man? There isn't any tunnels around here."

"There has to be! I have reliable information that there are large empty spaces underneath this area. It's very important that I find out how to reach them." Jack looked at the ranger's name tag. "Mr. Smith, I think we can work something out."

The ranger shook his head. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave the premises."

Jack argued as the ranger drove him back to his Jeep at the entrance of the park on a small motorbike, but it wasn't having any effect. In fact it only made Jack sound more and more like a fool.

"You can stay out here, but if you go back into the forest, I'm going to call the police."

With those words, the ranger got back on his small bike and drove back into the woods. Jack angrily tossed a rock into the trees after him, and then he grabbed his cell phone from his jacket pocket. It was almost eleven thirty, and he hadn't found any sign of Kasumi, or the tunnels. He decided he would crank up his stereo and wait for Hayabusa.

* * *

_Saturday, December 17_

_12:58 A.M._

_Forest Park_

Kasumi had finally made it to the edge of the woods, and not a moment too soon. Her injured leg was killing her, and the serious gashes in her shoulder, waist and legs had reopened, soaking her makeshift bandages with blood. The blanket had long ago become waterlogged from all the times she had fallen into puddles and mud, making it useless for keeping her warm any longer. She held back her tears as she continued to limp into the clearing, feeling weak and more alone than any other time since she had left the village.

As she made her way out towards the open ground, Kasumi heard the sound of loud American rock music blaring in the distant parking area. Filled with relief, she decided that maybe she could get a ride to the hospital from whoever was listening to the music. Suppressing the excruciating pain she was feeling, Kasumi dragged herself towards the sound.

When she spotted Jack's familiar Jeep sitting in the empty lot, she almost completely forgot about her pain. Desperately, she tried to yell out to him and get his attention, but she was too far too weak and barely managed to let out a scratchy whisper. His radio was too loud, anyway. The Jeep was roughly a hundred feet ahead of her, but she was so exhausted and in so much pain, that it would probably take her at least ten or fifteen minutes to get there.

She hobbled as fast as she could on her good leg towards Jack, feeling overwhelmed with awe and affection. He had come to look for her! She was so happy to have someone that cared about her, and didn't want to get rid of her. She didn't have any true friends, despite her kind and caring spirit. She had made friends with some of the girls on Zack Island nearly half a year before, but that had been only temporary. Before Jack came along she was all by herself. Hayabusa had looked out for her a couple of times, but she never really thought he truly cared. He merely looked out for her to honor Hayate's request, but Jack had come to look for her by himself with genuine concern motivating his actions. It moved her deeply to see that someone would do that for her, even though it seemed like such a simple act.

She tried to call to Jack once more, but again she couldn't raise her voice.

* * *

Jack looked at the canvas roof of his Jeep Wrangler as he listened to his favorite band, Lostprophets. He could never find any good American music in Japan, so he ordered almost all of his music off of the Internet. Kasumi had always thought what he listened to was strange for music, but Jack had thought the same about what she liked. 

"Kasumi....where are you?" Jack whispered sadly, feeling like he had failed her miserably in her time of need.

It was almost one in the morning and Jack started his Jeep to leave. He couldn't believe that Hayabusa hadn't shown up on time. He seemed so strict to his word. Maybe he had found something, and if he did, Jack would hear about it tomorrow. But for now he was too sleepy to wait any longer. He turned on his heaters and began to pull out of the empty parking area.

* * *

Kasumi watched in horror as the green Jeep roared to life and began to pull away. 

"Jack, don't go!" she sobbed hoarsely, but it was no use. "Don't leave me here..."

She stumbled on and dived directly in front of Jack's bright headlights. She landed hard on her hip, and nearly screamed when she hit the soggy ground. The sheer, mind-numbing pain she was feeling was enough to make her lose consciousness, but she had to endure just a little longer.

To her relief, the Jeep suddenly stopped.

Kasumi slowly closed her eyes and let out a weak sigh, trying once again to climb to her feet, but there was simply no more energy left in her battered legs. They refused to move and she was stuck lying in the cold wet grass. But she refused to give up, so she kept trying to move even though it was hopeless, drowning out her agony with her will to survive.

* * *

Jack turned down his loud stereo, scanning the area in front of him with keen interest. He thought he saw something big move in the distance in front of him, but now it was hidden in the grass. Then he spotted someone struggling to climb to their feet. As he focused harder he saw that it was a girl with long red hair, only a tattered brown blanket keeping her warm. 

"Kasumi!"

He turned off his Jeep and left the headlamps on, bathing the area in their bright beams. He immediately saw that something was seriously wrong with his friend, realizing that she seemed to be unable to walk.

"Oh, no!" He jumped out of the Jeep and ran towards her.

* * *

Duncan removed the tan ranger hat he had been wearing. The disguise had worked perfectly! The drunk in the small cabin had thought he was a real ranger, and so would his target. Smith had given him specific orders and he was going to carry them out to the letter. 

He got off the bike and walked out into the clearing towards the devastated girl who was trying frantically to stand up. She looked much worse than when he had last seen her. Her clothes were shredded and stained bright red with her vital fluids, and he didn't even want to think about what she must've been through.

"Hello!" he called out.

Kasumi stopped her pathetic struggle to move, looking away from Jack, and to the park ranger approaching her. She couldn't answer back, so she simply raised her left arm in acknowledgment. It was obvious that she didn't recognize him.

Duncan took out his silver revolver and walked closer. "Are you all right? You look seriously injured."

The ravaged girl never responded as she tried and failed to crawl to her feet once again. She seemed to be favoring her left side considerably, and Duncan could easily see why. There was a streak of crimson running down her right arm from a dripping blood stained bandage on her shoulder, and he noticed as he drew closer that her midsection and thighs were also bleeding profusely through some shoddy medical dressings. Duncan walked within ten feet of her when she finally recognized him.

"You!" she whispered, half afraid and half furious.

"We meet again. Such a lovely night isn't it? I didn't think the clouds would clear up so quickly." Duncan said. He sounded almost friendly.

Kasumi noticed the gun in his right hand and swallowed hard, tears gathering in her pleading copper eyes, and she felt in the bottom of her shattered heart that it was all over.

* * *

Jack continued to run towards Kasumi, ecstatic that she was still alive. The park ranger he had been talking to earlier was now kneeling at her side talking to her. Things were finally starting to look up. 

But as he drew closer to her, he didn't fail to notice Kasumi's reaction to the man. He was surprised to see that she was acting terrified of him, and she tried even harder to run away. As he continued his approach, Jack could hear her voice, and she was clearly crying and pleading for her life. He watched in pure confusion as the ranger stood up and looked down at his struggling friend, something dark written on his face. It was at that exact moment that Jack realized something terrible was about to happen.

Kasumi looked away from the ranger and towards Jack, trying to say something, but he was still to far away to understand what she was trying to tell him. Kasumi was frantically trying to crawl to him, desperate to get away from the man towering over her.

Then he watched in horrified dismay as the ranger calmly fired a shot into her with a silver revolver. As the boom from the large gun died away, he heard Kasumi's agonized scream echo through the woods, and then she stopped trying to get up and became very still. He pulled his own gun out as she limply collapsed to the forest floor. The ranger chuckled as he raised his weapon once more.

* * *

Duncan had shot her in the stomach and he watched with cold amusement as she writhed in unimaginable and vicious agony on the cold muddy ground at his feet, her blood gushing into an ever increasing pool beneath her battered quaking body. 

Kasumi moaned loudly from the burning pain and tightly clutched her abdomen with both hands, making a pathetic effort to stop the red liquid from oozing between her shaking fingers and dripping into the grass.

"Please...." she choked sadly. "Don't....shoot...." her weak voice fading away as she coughed loudly. Panic rushed through her when she tasted her own blood in the back of her sore throat.

Duncan wiped the warm scarlet liquid from his still grinning face and looked down at the quaking girl's grief-stricken form, knowing she was truly broken inside. Her hopelessness was entertaining to him.

He laughed victoriously. "You didn't actually think you would survive did you?"

Kasumi coughed again, causing her to cry out in anguish, this time a small amount of blood dribbling down her chin from the corners of her mouth.

"No...." she sobbed, defeat etched into her voice.

Duncan never stopped smiling as he calmly pointed the large gun at her head, slowly squeezing the trigger--

"Noooo!!!"

Duncan's shot missed and hit Kasumi in her bandaged right shoulder, causing her to scream once again as the hot bullet pierced her skin, making more of her vital juices splatter onto him. He looked up at the raging man running towards him.

"You bastard! I'll kill you!" Jack yelled as he charged in a pure rage at the 'park ranger.'

Duncan was thrown off guard and recklessly fired his weapon at Jack, hoping to take him out quickly so he could finish the weeping girl at his feet, who was now struggling to maintain her breath.

Jack yelled angrily as he felt a sharp pain in his shoulder but it didn't slow him down. He tackled the Duncan at full speed and pounded him in the face with the butt of his pistol, busting his lip and shattering a tooth. Duncan rolled out from underneath the deranged man and spit out his tooth.

Jack had knocked Duncan's gun away and he couldn't find it. Then he watched as this strange new guy charged at him again, seemingly unstoppable. Duncan rolled to the side and Jack sailed over him. But Jack quickly rolled to his feet at the same time Duncan climbed to his, ready to fight. He then punched Duncan in the face with a hard right hook, following it up with a wicked left cross.

However, Duncan was a large man, and he took the punches well. After he steadied himself, he yelled angrily at Jack and tried to kick his legs out from under him. Reflexively, Jack leaped over his furious kick and delivered a solid blow of his own to Duncan's chest, knocking the big man down. Jack recovered his balance and pointed his pistol at Duncan.

Duncan laughed. "Go ahead. I'm as good as dead anyway. I failed."

"If you had any idea how close I am to pulling this trigger right now, you wouldn't have said that. Now get up and fight like a man," Jack said with an ice cold voice.

Duncan felt around for his gun and finally found it. "Screw you," he said as he raised his revolver.

Jack fired one shot into Duncan's arm, making him drop the gun. Then his anger took over and he emptied the every single one of the ten rounds in his clip into Duncan's body, and watched as the large man fell over. He was dead before he hit the ground.

Jack was shocked at what he had just done, but he quickly shook it off and walked over to where Kasumi's crumpled and tattered body was lying in a massive lake of her own blood. She was covered with dark bruises and her midsection was a gory mess, still oozing with crimson. The once white T-shirt she was wearing was now dark red and almost completely shredded apart. Her once long skirt was in the same poor condition, now barely the size of a miniskirt.

She looked up at him with large tears streaming down her face. "Jack...it hurts....so....much. I....I....," she sobbed. She let out a puny cough and wailed loudly in horrible agony from the pain it brought her, even more blood spurting from between her soft pink lips.

Jack knew her chances were small, but he couldn't let her see that she was dying. And he wouldn't accept it, either, even though it was apparent that she was indeed slipping away.

He knelt down by her side and took her hand in his own. "Kasumi, don't worry. You're gonna be fine."

Kasumi tried to squeeze Jack's warm hand, but her fingers were numb and stiff. "I'm going....to....die....aren't I?"

Jack shook his head with tears glistening in his brown eyes. "No. No, you'll be fine. I'm going to get you to a hospital and everything's going to be okay, I promise."

She let out a desperate and frightened whimper as her vision began to fade. "I-I'm sorry....b-but....I can't...."

"Hold on, Kasumi! You can't die on me!"

Jack was filled with a deep, dark anger. Who would do this to a girl like Kasumi? She was innocent and kind, but someone had obviously tortured her for no apparent reason he could discern. So many things could've happened to her while she was held captive, it was hard for him to even think about it without losing himself in a dark seething rage.

Kasumi looked at Jack with a blank expression on her face, her once bright eyes glazing over. "Don't....let....them....," she gasped in sharp, quick breaths, "Don't let them...take...me...again...."

She was pale, wet, and shivering. Jack took off his leather jacket and wrapped it tightly around her shoulders, discarding the blood drenched and cold blanket. "You're safe now. Just hang on a little longer."

Kasumi managed to nod slightly.

Then Jack gently scooped her up into his warm strong arms and quickly carried her back to his Jeep, soaking his green shirt with her blood. He was going to have to hurry, for Kasumi's light was fading fast, and soon it would be too late for her.


	11. Chapter Ten

**DISCLAIMER:** I DO NOT OWN ANY DEAD OR ALIVE CHARACTER. THOSE CHARACTERS BELONG TO TECMO, LTD. AND TEAM NINJA. I AM IN NO WAY INTENDING ANY COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT AND I'M NOT MAKING A PROFIT FROM THE USE OF THESE CHARACTERS. ANY CHARACTER NOT A PART OF DEAD OR ALIVE IS MINE AND MINE ALONE.

**Chapter Ten**

_Saturday, December 17_

_1:17 A.M._

_Forest Park_

Hayabusa had scarcely noticed the time when he arrived at the scene of the fight, carrying a satchel full of cameras at his side. All he had noticed at first was the fact that Jack's Jeep was gone and that he was almost an hour later than the time they had initially agreed on.

As he walked along, Hayabusa noticed the body in the clearing and ran over to it only to find that the man had been shot in the chest many times. It looked like a park ranger had been murdered viciously and without mercy. There was a large pool of blood to the right of the body, but there were no other corpses and there were no footprints other than Jack's and his own. However, right in the middle of the mess of blood soaked grass, there seemed to be signs of struggle, indicating that someone else was there.

Jack must've seen the entire thing and went to get the police. Or even worse, Jack had killed the man himself. Hayabusa shook his head at the thought. He didn't know Jack well, but if he knew anything about the man, he knew that he wasn't the type who would kill for no reason. He was sure there was an explanation of some sort.

Hayabusa began to walk back to Jack's apartment building. He would wait for him there and see if he could get any answers. But it was late, so he decided he would check everything out in the morning, but for now he was going to climb onto the roof where he had been staying and investigate the cameras he had found. When the storm hit, he had to find a new spot to stay, but it was still on the same building. There was a small overhang beneath a billboard on the opposite side of the roof where he had moved all his things.

The cameras were jet black and resembled small robotic spiders, all though he doubted they could move anymore after today's storm. However, he did believe that they were still recording and transmitting information. Hayabusa sat the satchel containing the other cameras next to his things, and proceeded to take one of them out of the brown bag.

The camera had a small red light that was blinking and a bright green one next to it. He guessed the green light showed the battery life or activated some sort of night vision. He smashed the lens so it wouldn't see his face or the location he was at, then he decided to talk to the spider in hopes of getting a message to the enemy.

"To whom it may concern, I will give a distinct warning. Your time is running short. Return Kasumi immediately and I will see to it you are not killed slowly. I will hunt you down, either way, but the life of the girl should be spared if you don't want to suffer."

Hayabusa nodded with satisfaction and threw the camera over the side of the building. He watched as the device shattered on the sidewalk below, scattering it's metallic insides over the frozen concrete.

Hayabusa thought about Jack and again wondered what had transpired in the woods tonight. The ranger's corpse had a gunshot wound in the heart and had still been warm when he had arrived. The excess blood on the ground to the ranger's right definitely didn't belong to the ranger, but there were no other bodies at the scene. Maybe Jack had been wounded at the situation, but it was an awful lot of blood for him to still be alive. What had Jack been doing in the field in the first place? He was supposed to be looking for tunnels, not strolling through the park.

Hayabusa decided that these questions could wait until tomorrow. He climbed into his thick warm bedroll and gazed up at the metal bottom of the large billboard, slowly drifting into a light peaceful sleep.

* * *

_Saturday, December 17_

_1:20 P.M._

_Streets of Downtown_

Jack knew that he would have to break the speed limit considerably to get Kasumi to the hospital before she slipped away. The hospital almost twelve miles from the edge of the forest, but fortunately traffic was thin. He depressed the gas pedal and watched the speedometer's needle climb slowly to seventy. He stopped at ninety-five and watched as the scenery blew past him in a bright blur of neon signs.

Kasumi tried to move her damaged arm and sit up straighter, but Jack quickly stopped her. "No, you need your strength."

She coughed again and gazed at nothing, unable to focus. "So....tired," she managed to whisper faintly.

Jack looked over at her and gently shook her awake, trying not to hurt her any more than she already was. "Hey. Focus. Look at me."

He started snapping his fingers. Kasumi slowly looked at Jack's hand and concentrated all of her pain on the rhythm of his snapping fingers, struggling to focus her blurred vision. She was so cold and tired and all she wanted to do was rest. The jacket Jack had given her didn't seem to be keeping her warm anymore, and the gaping hole in her stomach burned like fire with each faint pump of her weakened heart. She was having a hard time keeping her eyes open and the beat of Jack's snapping fingers soon became a distant lullaby. The world seemed to dissolve in front of her teary amber eyes and she could barely breath.

Jack looked at Kasumi, observing her condition. There was much more wrong with her than he had noticed before. Instead of having just a few bruises and some serious gunshot wounds, Kasumi had extensive gashes all over her chest and arms. There were some particularly nasty ones on her waist and upper thighs, which were still bleeding through some soaked strips of cotton. Then he noticed that there was also a deep cut in her shot shoulder, dripping with blood and surrounded by a big black bruise. There were a few small puncture wounds in her legs and arms, which didn't look too serious, but they did look painful. Her long red hair was matted and wet, hanging heavily around her shoulders.

Then he turned his tearful brown eyes to her face and he noticed a dark bruise on her cheek. Her bottom lip was swollen and bleeding as well. The hole in her shoulder was deep, but he couldn't see an exit wound. Her right hand was marred by a deep stab wound, but it didn't look nearly as bad as the cuts on the rest of her body. On her right hip was a huge black and blue blemish and the entire joint was swollen.

Jack stopped snapping his fingers and gently held her good hand in his own. He noticed that she was freezing cold, but he wasn't surprised. She had lost a lot of blood. She responded by trying to close her fingers around his hand, but he could tell she was having trouble moving them.

Kasumi's vision dimmed and she closed her beautiful copper-colored eyes, listening to the faint rhythm of her heart as it began to slow. She could feel Jack's warm hand clutching hers, but everything seemed so distant now, so far away and irrelevant. The darkness infringed on her consciousness, and she welcomed it. The dark would bring her relief. Relief from the pain, the suffering, the cold, and the dark blemish the torture had left on her mind, never to be forgotten. But she had not given in. She had not told Smith anything, and that eased her mind.

Jack glanced away from the road and looked back at Kasumi, only to find her head drooping and that she had drifted to sleep once again.

"Kasumi! Wake up!" Jack yelled.

She drowsily opened her eyes and gazed at him with the same empty expression she had used in the park. It was as if she was unable to focus. Jack turned the heater up to full blast and directed all the vents on Kasumi's shivering form, knowing that if he didn't arrive soon, there would be no hope. Her breathing had become labored and shallow.

"Sorry....about....your....jacket," she muttered, barely audible. Blood oozed from the corner of her mouth and dripped from her chin.

Jack lamented for her, wiping away tears as he refocused his attention to the street. Kasumi was his only true friend, and he didn't know what he would do without her. He couldn't let her die, not like this.

"Don't worry about the jacket. You need to stay awake."

"But...I'm....so tired."

"I know you are, and you can rest soon. Just stay awake a little longer, okay?"

"Everything's....so dark...." She nodded off once more.

"Kasumi!" Jack yelled, but she didn't move.

He felt for a pulse and found it, but it was very weak and fading fast. She would be gone soon. Dead to the world. He shook her gently, but she never stirred.

The hospital was nearby now, but he would have to go faster to make it in time. He was extremely grateful that the traffic was so sparse. He pressed the pedal to the floor and shifted into high gear. There was a slight turn and Kasumi slouched limply against his shoulder like a sack of sand. The lights of the city blurred past him as he raced down the wet road. He could see the hospital complex in the distance.

When Jack arrived at the ER, he feared he was too late. He carried Kasumi's frail body through the large glass double doors and quickly hurried to the front desk. The man behind the desk gaped in surprise at the sight of Kasumi's mangled body.

"I need a doctor! Now!" Jack yelled at the receptionist.

"I'm sorry, sir, but we have no room available at this time. May I suggest you go to General Hospital."

"Look at her! Do you really think she has that long? She's going to die if you don't do anything and I'll hold you responsible if she does." Jack's voice was cold and threatening. "You don't want that, trust me."

The small man behind the desk stood up. "Is that a threat?"

"Yes, it is."

Suddenly, a doctor walked through the large wooden door behind the clerk's desk and spotted Kasumi, a horrified expression on his face.

"What happened?!" he asked loudly.

"No time to explain everything now," Jack said. "She's going to die if you don't help her."

The doctor nodded grimly. "We're short handed right now, but I'll see what I can do. But I have to tell you now, she doesn't look like she'll make it."

"Try, Dammit! You can't let her die like this!"

Jack watched as the doctor rushed a stretcher into the room from behind the swinging double doors. He gently lay Kasumi down on the stretcher and watched sadly as the doctor took her away, wondering if she would survive the night.

"Where are they going?" Jack asked the receptionist.

He glared up at Jack. "Probably to surgery." He handed Jack a metal clipboard. "I'm going to need you to fill this out."

Jack took the clipboard and walked to a vacant seat by a woman with a broken arm and proceeded to answer the questions. They were simple questions really, most of them easy for him to answer. He was surprised about how much he knew about Kasumi, but at the same time he knew so little.

Why was she taken? What exactly happened to her this last week? Was she raped? These questions and more flooded through Jack's brain as he filled out the queries on theclipboard. The more questions that presented themselves in his mind, the more he was filled with unbridled anger, darker than anything he had ever felt before. It was at that moment that he decided to hunt down everyone responsible for her pain, and bring them to justice.

* * *

_Saturday, December 17_

_2:12 A.M._

_Forest Park_

Smith drove slowly down the darkened forest path savoring his victory. The girl would most likely be dead by now, or dying in a miserable heap somewhere in the cold night. He had wanted her to suffer immeasurably, but Duncan lacked the skill of inflicting pain, unlike Shark. His orders were to shoot her in the stomach and wait. Then he was to finish her off. A gunshot wound to the stomach is one of the most painful things you could do to a person, or so he heard.

When Smith arrived at the scene of the incident, he was shocked by what he saw. Duncan lay motionless about one hundred feet from the parking lot where he had emerged, his body riddled with bullet holes. How could someone as seriously injured as Kasumi, overpower Duncan? Then he knew that someone else had helped her when he realized that the girl had no weapon, unless Shark had given her one. But that was unlikely. Duncan was so stupid not to wear a bullet-proof vest on an assassination mission. You never know what will happen. Smith noticed that there was a considerable amount of blood at the scene that didn't belong to Duncan, and considerable was a big understatement.

"So you got a piece of her after all," he said to the empty shell of a man on the muddy ground.

It looked like he had gotten more than just a piece of her. She was probably dying in some stinking alley behind a fast food place. Smith grinned at the thought. He didn't appreciate resistance.

Smith suddenly realized that Kasumi had some help, which meant that she could still be alive, if the person helping her responded fast. He scanned the area for any indication of who the third person was, but there were really no clues besides the boot prints in the soft earth. They were large and he assumed that they were made by a tall man. He investigated the parking area where the tracks led, and spotted some skid marks leading out onto the road.

"Someone left in a hurry," Smith commented as he reached for his cell phone once again and dialed the local police.

"I would like to report a murder."

Smith grinned. The police would smoke out this third person. All he had to do was wait. Then he would make this new mysterious guy watch as he murdered Kasumi for the trouble she's caused.

* * *

_Saturday, December 17_

_2:37 A.M._

_Myamoto's Apartment_

Myamoto had been working on the pictures for hours trying to find a way around the transmission. He had tried to trace the signal repeatedly, but it kept getting blocked by some kind of jamming bubble. The source of the jamming frequency seemed to be originating from the forest, but there was no way for him to find out where in the woods it was originating. He figured there had to be some kind of loophole or something to get around it, but he had to know where to look. And that was his problem.

He had found five pictures, including the one he had shown Jack, and the one showing the attack on the Japanese elite forces squad. The other three were photos of a group of men hunting, and a little girl picking some strange flowers he couldn't recognize. The last photo was of a girl walking alone in the woods. She had beautiful amber eyes and short lavender hair. She looked neither happy or sad, just content.

Myamoto scanned the identification database he had recovered and quickly found what he was looking for. The description of the girl in the photo said she had a cold exterior and never usually revealed her feelings. She wasn't social, and didn't have many friends due to some kind of trauma as a child. Myamoto guessed that whoever compiled all of this information had to be using some kind of elaborate wireless surveillance network to make such a distinct conclusion.

He scanned the list for the entry about the man in the photo that showed the attack on the special forces. There was a name listed with this one.

"Hayate," Myamoto muttered to himself. Another odd name.

He doubted Jack had found anything interesting in the woods, due to the fact that there wasn't much information to guide him. Myamoto knew that this girl named Kasumi must be very important to Jack, or he wouldn't have made such a huge deal out of finding her right away. He just hoped that his buddy wouldn't find her dead, as Myamoto was guessing he would. It was just too unlikely that after a week of being missing, she would be found alive. He decided to call him and see if he had discovered anything new.

"Hello?" Jack sounded tired and stressed out.

Myamoto paused a moment.

"If you're going to call me you had better have something to say," Jack said irritably. "Otherwise, don't waste my time."

"Sorry," Myamoto said. "I was wondering if you had found anything out there."

"In the woods? No. We didn't find anything. I think you're wrong about the tunnels." Jack said. His voice was doleful.

"What do you mean 'we?' Who's out there with you?"

"Um...no one. I meant that I was out there with you're assistance on the computer."

Myamoto had some doubts, but he would ask Jack about it in person. "You haven't found anything? Are you sure?"

"No, I didn't find anything. There was nothing there."

"You keep referring to the woods as if you're somewhere else. Where exactly are you?" Myamoto asked, confused.

Jack sighed at the other end of the line. "I'm at the hospital."

"What happened? Are you okay, man?" Myamoto asked.

"I'm fine, well, physically anyway. I found Kasumi and things are looking grim. I'd tell you the details, but its a long story. Can you call back tomorrow?"

"Yeah, sure." Myamoto said as he hung up the phone. "I hope she makes it."

Jack sighed. "Me too."

Myamoto hung up the phone and just kind of sat in his chair, not knowing what to do next. She was found? That sounded like good news, and he knew it was, but why would someone want to kill her. It obviously wasn't the Shinobi, because he knew that if she was taken by them, they would've killed her immediately. So what else could it be? Something weird was going on and he was going to get some answers.

* * *

_Saturday, December 17_

_2:41 A.M._

_Charity Medical Complex_

"Was that your friend?" the woman next to him asked politely.

Jack nodded sadly. "She's the only one I've got left."

The woman looked puzzled. "She's your only friend?"

"I have another friend, but he's not really a friend. He's more like an associate. I really don't know very many people here. And I don't have anyone in the States, so yeah, she's my only true friend," Jack said.

Myamoto was always friendly, but they never hung out together or talked like he and Kasumi had done so many times. He usually only talked to Myamoto when he needed help with something, but they have hung out a few times. They just weren't that close.

"My name is Akiko," the woman said. She kept staring at his shoulder.

He then remembered the shot that Duncan had fired at him. He had completely forgotten the wound. "I'm Jack Wallace."

"What happened to your shoulder? Does it have something to do with that girl you brought?" she asked.

"Yeah, but it's a long story and I'm sure you don't want to hear it."

Another doctor walked into the room and called out Akiko's name. After she had left Jack gave the clipboard back to the clerk and looked at the clock on the wall behind his desk. It was almost two forty five in the morning.

"Do you have any coffee?" Jack asked.

The clerk looked up from a magazine he was reading. "Yeah. It's over there." He pointed his finger at a small table by a large mirror to the left of the main entrance.

The coffee was weak, but it did slightly wake him up. He looked at himself in the large mirror, shocked at what he saw. His hair was disheveled and his green shirt was covered with Kasumi's blood. The wound in his shoulder had stopped bleeding and the bullet had passed completely through. He was surprised the receptionist hadn't noticed it, but he was working the graveyard shift and his attention was probably not at its best. Besides, his own blood could not be distinguished from Kasumi's. He looked and felt exhausted. Finally, after drinking a few paper cups full of coffee, Jack walked back to the clerk's desk.

"Do you think she'll be out of surgery soon?" he asked.

"I don't know. Do you have number where we can reach you?"

"I put it on the form." Jack said. "But I think I want to wait here until she gets out."

"Whatever," the clerk said.

The hours passed and Jack drank the rest of the lukewarm coffee. He wanted to be awake when Kasumi got out of surgery, and he wanted to be exhausted in case the news he received was bad. That way his sleepiness would dull the pain. He had arrived at the hospital at around one twenty-five and it was now close to five in the morning.

A doctor with a green blood soaked scrub came out of the door by the receptionist's desk, removing his latex gloves.

He looked at Jack. "Are you the one who brought in the red headed girl earlier?"

Jack got up from his seat and quickly walked over to the surgeon. He hoped for good news, but braced himself for the worst. "Is she okay?"

The doctor sighed. "She just got out of surgery. We had to put her in the ICU, and she might pull through. But with injuries as extensive as the one's she has suffered, it'll be awhile before we know for sure. I'm surprised she was strong enough to survive the operation, so she will most likely make it through her recovery."

Jack let out the breath he had been holding. "How serious were her injuries?"

The doctor shook his head. "Do you really want to know? It's pretty gruesome."

Jack nodded. "Just tell me, please."

"Her right leg was popped out of its socket, causing some muscle damage that will probably cause her pain for a few more weeks, but it should heal perfectly fine. The gunshot wounds caused her to lose a hefty amount of blood and there was not much I could do about that. There was a lot of bruising on most of her internal organs, and that will make her very sore if she regains consciousness."

"How sore are we talking?"

The doctor sighed. "It will be most painful when she takes a deep or sudden breath, but other than that it shouldn't be too unbearable for her. Just don't let her make any sudden movements for a while and she should be fine. There's a few tests we still need to run, but they aren't urgent."

Jack nodded. "Is there anything else I should know, doc?"

The surgeon paused a moment and looked Jack directly in the eye. "She won't have any physical scars from either the gashes or the bullet wounds, and they will heal relatively fast, due to a special medicine we've received. However, with this kind of severe trauma, she will have some severe mental damage. I suggest you listen if she wants to talk about her pain, or she could end up in a bad situation. And if she doesn't want to talk, try to get her to say something, because it's not healthy for her to hold everything inside. It could affect her recovery."

"Thanks, I'll make sure she's taken care of. Can I see her?" Jack asked.

The doctor hesitated a moment when he noticed Jack's shoulder. "Are you going to be okay?"

"I'm fine. Can I see her yet?" Jack repeated.

He hesitated. "Maybe you should tell me what happened out there first."

Jack paused. "She was kidnapped about a week ago, and I found her this way tonight. You can call the cops if you want, but I need to be with her. Please."

The doctor nodded. "I'll show you where she is."

Kasumi was being monitored by numerous machines. There was an IV dripping a clear fluid into her arm and she was covered with white bandages, already turning red with blood. She looked so frail and weak, and Jack was crushed by her pain.

The doctor pointed to a blue padded chair sitting next to a wooden end table. "If you want to stay with her, there's a chair you can use. If anything happens, press the red button on the wall over there to call a nurse or doctor. You can watch TV, but try not to turn it up too loud."

Jack nodded as the doctor turned and walked out of the room.

"Kasumi...." Jack said sadly. "What did they do to you?"

His stained jacket and Kasumi's ragged clothes were sitting on the chair the doctor mentioned before. He picked up his blood stained coat and threw it away. Then he tossed Kasumi's clothes as well, knowing that they were ruined.

As he and sat down next to her sleeping form, Jack was beginning to feel his shoulder wound. But he refused to leave Kasumi's side for a second, afraid of losing her forever. There was an electric blanket covering herfrail damagedbody, but her hand was still cold.

Jack held her hand once again. "I'll catch whoever did this to you, Kasumi. I swear I will."

About ten minutes later, Jack was fast asleep in the chair, still holding Kasumi's bandaged hand in his own.


	12. Chapter Eleven

**DISCLAIMER:** I DO NOT OWN ANY DEAD OR ALIVE CHARACTER. THOSE CHARACTERS BELONG TO TECMO, LTD. AND TEAM NINJA. I AM IN NO WAY INTENDING ANY COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT AND I'M NOT MAKING A PROFIT FROM THE USE OF THESE CHARACTERS. ANY CHARACTER NOT A PART OF DEAD OR ALIVE IS MINE AND MINE ALONE.

**Chapter Eleven**

_Saturday, December 17_

_6:19 A.M._

_Forest Park_

Smith watched from the cover of the forest as the police processed the crime scene. He didn't want them knowing he was involved in any way or that he was the one who made the anonymous tip.

He wondered what they would make of the extra blood at the scene. He would need to find some new people to work with, since Duncan has died and Shark has turned against him. The entire situation had become so out of control and it was all that little brat's fault. If she had just told him where to find her pathetic little home, this would've never happened and she'd be dead now. But there was no use in dwelling on it.

He knew of a man he could call, but it would cost him much more money. Well it didn't matter, as long as he got what he wanted. and when he found that village, there would be more than enough money to pay him back with. He would have to do the interrogation himself this time, but that wasn't going to be a problem.

After a few minutes of watching, Smith snuck away from the scene and back to where he had hidden his truck. He started the small pickup and drove back to his hidden compound, knowing that he needed a new subject to torment for answers.

He would be watching the news carefully and see where this investigation went. He thought about the Shinobi girl Duncan had captured for him earlier and decided he would need to see what happened to her. If she was dead, all the better, although it was unfortunate that he didn't get to see the look of complete hopelessness as her last breath escaped her. But if she was still alive he would have to find her and finish the job. Now he wasn't going to kill her for the fun of it alone. She was now a liability, for she was the only one who knew what he looked like, or that he was involved at all.

There was a total of three hospitals in the town and he was going to have to search every one of them. The files on the patients were classified, but he had a way around that. There's always a loophole, you just had to know the right people. He would need to keep an eye on the city morgue as well, in case her body was found or she died in the hospital. He would also need to find another Shinobi to capture, but that shouldn't be too difficult since he had a whole list of them.

The first thing he decided to do was to get a new team assembled, so he could continue his billion dollar search.

* * *

Thomas Wilson chugged his beer as the loud music of the nightclub boomed around him. The place was becoming very empty and as he looked around he only noticed about four of five people in the room. He glanced at his watch, which read six thirty, and decided to leave when his cell phone rang in his pocket. The tiny glowing display showed an old number he hadn't seen in a very long time.

"Wilson," he said with an English accent.

"I have a job for you. Are you interested?" Smith asked.

"I can't believe you're still alive. You've got some nerve if you think I'm going to do you any favors. Especially after what you pulled, you stupid ass."

Smith paused on the other end of the line. "You still holding a grudge, Tom?"

"You're lucky I don't kill you myself, you lying son of a bitch!" he said threateningly into the receiver.

Thomas remembered the last job Smith had given him. Smith had gotten himself arrested for murder and the entire case depended on one person who had seen it all from a hotel room across the street. He promised him a million pounds if he and his team could get rid of the only material witness against him. But another man by the name of Duncan had undersold him, saying he would get rid of Tom and the witness for a mere five hundred thousand. Tom and his team had survived Duncan's assault, but only by the narrowest of margins. It was true what they say about the element of surprise.

"I need someone good to do this. It's a simple kidnapping job and I'll pay you twice as much as I was paying Duncan," Smith said convincingly.

"What happened to Duncan?" he asked.

"He's dead. He was shot in the chest earlier tonight."

Tom laughed. "He's dead? I guess that's one less person on my list of people to eliminate. So how much were you paying him?"

"I was paying him five million American dollars, but I'm offering you ten." It was the total amount he would have been paying anyway, but Shark had left.

Tom whistled. "Ten million dollars?! I'd get rid of the Queen of England for that much money. What did you have in mind?"

"I need you to meet me at the docks. I'll be at warehouse eighteen. We'll discuss the details there."

"What time?" he asked.

"Seven o'clock tonight. Don't be late." With those words Smith hung up the phone.

* * *

_Saturday, December 17_

_11:32 A.M._

_Charity Medical Complex_

Jack awoke late Saturday morning with a sore neck and a slight headache. Kasumi was still sleeping underneath the big blue electric blanket, and to his relief she was still alive. He was glad to see the color was returning to her face, even though she was still chilly. It was a very good sign. He got up and looked at his jacket, which was lying on the carpet, cached with blood. He would definitely need a new one, but he could take care of that later. It wasn't important enough to care about now.

He walked back out to the lobby to get another cup of coffee when the morning receptionist spotted him.

"Are you Mr. Wallace?" she asked politely.

She looked shocked at his appearance, but he didn't blame her. He probably looked like something the cat dragged in, ate, and then coughed up. "Yeah, how did you know who I was?"

She cleared her throat. "It said so on the form you handed in earlier. Doctor Nikata wants to take a look at your shoulder before you leave. Wait a moment while I go get him."

Jack nodded and sat down. He had to admit that his shoulder was really starting to bug him now that last night's adrenaline had worn off. Doctor Nikata must have been the surgeon he talked to earlier. Jack spotted the surgeon as he came out of the now familiar double doors behind the receptionist's desk.

"Come with me. We need to get your shoulder sewn up before you get an infection," he said.

After Jack had been treated, he decided to go home and take a shower. He could use a shave too.

When he arrived at home, he noticed that his apartment looked almost as bad as he felt. The fern was still lying on the floor from when the 'wind' knocked it over, making a mess of dirt on his carpet. There was a dark stain on the rug where he had spilled his coffee by the couch when he leaped into the wall after Hayabusa, and the mug was still on the floor.

After his shower and shave Jack felt much better. He put on a clean blue shirt and some black jeans, immediately feeling more refreshed. After eating a quick breakfast, he decided to go to Myamoto's and see if his hacker friend had found anything new. Jack doubted he had, but it was all he had to go on and there was nothing else for him to do at the moment. He had to find the people who did this to Kasumi, and make sure it never happened to anyone else.

On the way to Myamoto's, Jack thought for the first time since finding Kasumi, about Hayabusa. The man had obviously found something in the woods last night, but he didn't know how to contact him to find out about it. All he could do was wait.

When he arrived at Myamoto's, Jack remembered the pictures he had taken of the strange symbol on the garage floor. Hayabusa had said it was nothing more than simple graffiti, but Jack had his suspicions about that statement. He grabbed his camera and walked towards the apartment building. If the symbol had anything to do with the Shinobi, Myamoto would know it.

Jack knocked loudly on Myamoto's door. He heard some scrambling inside the apartment and then the door opened sharply.

Myamoto quickly waved him inside and slammed the door behind him. "What's going on?!" he said angrily.

Jack was confused. "What do you mean?"

"Don't play stupid, Jack. First, you find the mysterious disc with proof of the existence of Shinobi on it, and it almost destroys my computer. On top of that, you end up at the hospital in the middle of the night, and then _this_ happens!" he yelled. "You're not telling me the whole story on what happened last night are you?"

"What happened?" Jack asked with genuine interest.

Myamoto turns on his television. "See for yourself."

Jack watches as the eleven o'clock news appears on the dusty screen. "..._police are now investigating the murder of a local park ranger that occurred sometime last evening. There are no suspects at this time, but the police think that the perpetrator may have been injured by the ranger prior to the crime_. _If you have any information on this crime, call_..."

Myamoto muted the television and glared at Jack. "I recorded this almost an hour ago. Did this have anything to do with Kasumi?"

Jack cleared his throat. "It's a long story."

Myamoto sat down at his computer desk and turned his chair to face him. "So?"

"Look, this is bigger than you realize. I was only trying to help her--" Jack was interrupted.

"So you did kill him! You're in deep shit now, man."

Jack glared at his colleague. "Let me finish. I found Kasumi around one this morning. Actually, she found me, and it was very hard for her. " Jack paused. "You should have seen what they did to her. It was hard for me to see, and I've seen some gruesome things."

"What happened to her?" Myamoto asked.

Jack looked down at the floor. "He hurt her, Myamoto. Hurt her bad. I was running towards her when this park ranger came out of nowhere and shot her. Twice. She almost died last night. But she was injured in so many other ways....I can't even begin to describe the pain she must've been feeling."

"I'm sorry, Jack. What about the dead park ranger?"

"He was the one who shot her," Jack shook his head and looked back up at Myamoto. "You know what ticks me off the most? He shot her in the stomach and laughed about it. If I had been a second slower, we'd be seeing her murder investigation on the TV. I just lost it, and I couldn't stop pulling the trigger."

Myamoto nodded. "So you killed him."

Jack nodded darkly. "And I'd do it again."

"They're saying you're some kind of cold blooded monster. I don't think they know what happened to the girl," Myamoto pointed out. "You have to tell them the whole story before they haul you off to jail."

"I can't. If I go to the cops, they'll put me in jail until they can prove she was attacked by the ranger. That would leave Kasumi vulnerable to another attack."

"I can see where that might be a problem." Myamoto said.

"Anyway, the reason I came here in the first place was to see if you'd found anything new. Have you?"

Myamoto shook his head. "Nope. I tried really hard to trace the signal after I called you, but it was no use. I was actually hoping you had found something."

"No..." Jack suddenly remembered the symbol in the parking garage. "Wait a minute." He grabbed his small silver camera from his pant pocket and gave it to Myamoto.

"Take a look at this," Jack said. "I think you'll find the last few pictures most interesting."

Myamoto curiously took the camera and plugged it into his computer.

* * *

_Saturday, December 17_

_12:14 P.M._

_Adjacent From Jack's_ _Apartment_

Hayabusa decided to leave town and return to the village. He needed to show Hayate the cameras he had found in the forest last night. It was roughly noon now, so he should get to the village by seven or eight this evening. He didn't know if the enemy had listened to his warning or not, but he hoped they had.

Hayabusa was concerned about Jack. If he had killed that ranger last night, it would be disastrous for his cause. Hayabusa needed Jack's information and skills to make any sense of these cameras or where they came from. Of course if he could figure out where Jack was getting his information it wouldn't matter.

In fact, it could be a good thing that Jack was tangled up in this situation. Then he wouldn't have time to look too closely at the Shinobi. Hayabusa collected his things and put on his usual black ninja suit. He was beginning to tire of wearing the inconspicuous clothing he had been dressing in before and felt much more comfortable in his familiar garments.

Jack's Jeep was still missing from the parking lot across the street. He had noticed earlier when Jack had returned, but it had only been for half an hour or so before he left again. Hayabusa was going to ask him about the previous night, but he decided to wait until there was more time to talk about it. Hayabusa resolved to ask Jack about what had happened when he returned from the Shinobi village.

He knew Hayate would only send him back to town because of the importance of Jack in this situation. The only reason he was going back at all was to give a progress report and see if anything else had happened at the village since he had left.

With all of these cameras lying around, something was bound to happen. He hoped that none of them were close to the village, but he doubted they were, or the village would have already been compromised.

As Hayabusa walked through the woods he kept an eye out for any more cameras. He didn't want the enemy too know where in the forest he was, or which direction he was going. This wasn't going to be a pleasant trip.

* * *

_Saturday, December 17_

_12:22 P.M._

_Myamoto's Apartment_

Jack knew Myamoto was very enthusiastic about the Shinobi. He was the equivalent of a nerd at a comic book convention. If there was anything to know about the Shinobi, Myamoto was the expert. So giving him the pictures was probably the best thing he could do at the moment.

The image of the red symbol appeared slowly on Myamoto's computer screen. "Where did you get this?!"

"I found it at the place where Kasumi was staying before she came to my place. What is it?" Jack asked.

"This sign appears frequently around the sights of abductions. Supposedly, these signs are used by the Shinobi warriors to mark an area where they have been, but that hasn't been proven."

Jack nodded. "Kind of like spray painting a tree so you don't get lost."

"Exactly. No one knows exactly why they make these signs, but maybe you're friend knows something."

"Kasumi? I don't think so. Besides, I think she's been through enough without us bugging her about some myth," Jack said. "Let's just leave her alone."

Myamoto nodded. "Maybe you should go back to the hospital and keep an eye on her."

"That's a good idea. I want you to do some research on the Internet about the Shinobi. Call me if you find anything." Jack walked out of the door.

He started his Jeep and proceeded to return to the hospital. When he passed a local mall, he decided to do some errands before going back. There was a lot of things he needed to buy, and he knew Kasumi would be pretty safe in the hospital by herself.

He parked his Jeep and grabbed Kasumi's old picture from out of his wallet, thinking about her condition and whether he should find Ayane and tell her about Kasumi's current circumstances. But he figured that Ayane would simply blow him off, or say something that would only piss him off more than he already was. Still, he felt the urge to make some way to get her to the hospital, knowing it would be important to Kasumi to have her there.

About an hour later he walked back out to his Jeep donning a brand new leather jacket and holding a large plastic bag in one hand and some bright pink roses in the other. He had no idea when Kasumi would wake up, but he wanted to be there when she did.

If she woke up alone, who knows how she would react to what was happening. Jack wanted to be there for her and find some way to ease her mind off of the misery she had just experienced, but he had a feeling in his gut that the past week would be affecting Kasumi deeply in the near future.


	13. Chapter Twelve

**DISCLAIMER:** I DO NOT OWN ANY DEAD OR ALIVE CHARACTER. THOSE CHARACTERS BELONG TO TECMO, LTD. AND TEAM NINJA. I AM IN NO WAY INTENDING ANY COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT AND I'M NOT MAKING A PROFIT FROM THE USE OF THESE CHARACTERS. ANY CHARACTER NOT A PART OF DEAD OR ALIVE IS MINE AND MINE ALONE.

**Chapter Twelve**

_Saturday, December 17_

_6:35 P.M._

_Warehouse 18_

Thomas Wilson leaned up against a rusted blue cargo container and toyed with a chrome zippo he always kept in his pocket. The street lamps illuminated the harbor in a faint orange glow, making the place have an artificial warmth to it, even though the winter air was cold and crisp. He noticed an approaching truck and quickly pocketed the lighter.

"You're late," he said as Smith climbed out of his truck.

Smith shook his head. "No, you're early."

Thomas let out an impatient sigh. "Never mind. You said that you had details for me?"

"Yes. I have two jobs for you."

Smith handed him a large photo of a beautiful red headed girl walking alone in the dark woods. Thomas noted a sparkle in her lonely honey colored eyes that made him feel rather strange.

"Who's this?" Tom asked.

"This is your first target. I want you to make sure she's dead. She's currently at the Charity Medical Complex, which is located downtown, not too far from here."

It had taken Smith a while to find her, but eventually he had located her file. When he read the condition she was admitted in, he smiled darkly, glad to see that she was in severe pain.

He knew that if someone would kill Duncan to help her, it was most likely that she wasn't dead. Even though there were only three hospitals in town, it had been a pain in the butt to narrow down where she had been staying, and Smith was relieved when he finally found her.

Tom nodded slowly. "Okay. What's the second job?"

Smith handed him a tan envelope. "You'll find another picture and a short profile in this package. Don't open it until you've killed your first target. I don't want any distractions."

"Do you want me to kill this subject as well?"

"No! I want you to take the subject alive. I have some questions for--"

"No need for an explanation. Do I have a deadline?" Tom asked.

"Haste makes waste. Take as long as you need to ensure that the job is done properly."

Tom nodded as Smith climbed back into his truck and proceeded to drive away. He looked at the photo of the girl in his hand. It was a shame to waste such a beautiful thing, but he could use the money, and no one's life was worth more than ten million to him. It wouldn't be a problem for her to be killed. He knew just the man for the job. The man he was thinking of used to work for a guy named Victor Donovan a while back, but something went sour between them. The guy was an expert in the Russian martial arts and could make short work of the girl. He took out his cell phone and dialed a contact number. It would be a couple of days before he arrived, but he would be well worth the wait.

"Bayman," a rough voice answered on the other end of the line.

"It's Wilson. I have a target for you. Can you make it to Japan within the next couple of days?" Tom had agreed to never use first names on international lines. You could never be too careful.

"That depends on how much you're paying me and what you want me to do." Bayman said.

Wilson sighed. "One Million. Take it or leave it. As for what I want you to do, I'll tell you when you get here."

"I'll be there by around Thursday." Bayman hung up the phone.

_Thursday. That should be good enough for Smith. In the meantime I'll have to send one of my men over to the hospital to make sure the girl doesn't try anything funny._

* * *

_Saturday, December 17_

_7:47 P.M._

_Mugen Tenshin Village_

Hayate gazed at the night sky, wondering what had happened to his sister and if she was still alive. He then thought about Hayabusa, wondering, not for the first time, how he was doing. Hayate hoped that he was doing well, because he needed answers, and he need them yesterday.

The village had become restless since news of possible exposure had spread. It had started as a rumor but quickly got out of hand. He eventually had to call a meeting to address the issue and straighten everything out. He had told them that he had sent a competent warrior to deal with the issue and that there was nothing to worry about. It helped a lot, but there was still a heavy sense of tension in the air. As soon as he adjourned the meeting, Ayane had bombarded him with questions. She knew he had sent Hayabusa to take a closer look at Kasumi's mysterious abduction, but other than that Hayate had been very vague. The truth was that Hayate didn't know much more than Ayane at this point. Then he spotted his old friend walking up the village's main path form the suspension bridge.

"Ryu! What have you learned?" he asked.

"There's a lot more to this situation than I imagined."

Hayate nodded. "Go on."

"We expected to find out about a group who was seeking the Shinobi which is true. But Kasumi has a very close friend in town who is very persistent. His name is Jack Wallace and he's digging up information on the Shinobi to find Kasumi. I have reason to believe that he may have killed one of her aggressors last night, but I don't know if he has found her."

"Well this presents a problem. We can't have some outsider snooping around. Does he know anything for certain?"

Hayabusa shook his head. "No. As far as I know he has no solid evidence. I've managed to keep him away from anything that has to do with the Shinobi, so he isn't a threat." Hayabusa paused. "Yet."

Hayate thought a moment. He didn't want to kill this Jack Wallace character, mainly because of his usefulness in this operation. But if he continued to get in the way he would have no other options but to eliminate him. "I want you to keep an eye on him and make sure he doesn't come too close. Do you have any more information?"

Hayabusa slowly nodded once and held up his brown satchel. "I'm planning on staying up here for a little while. We need to discuss what's in this bag, and how to best take care of it."

Hayate allowed his curiosity to creep over his facial expression. "What's in the bag?"

Hayabusa grabbed another small spider-cam and smashed the small device, so it couldn't see or hear anything they were saying. Then he handed it to Hayate. "These cameras have been meticulously spread throughout the forest. Most of them are near town, but they become more sparse about ten miles into the woods. I'm surprised they haven't found the village already Hayate."

Hayate was fascinated by the small device. It looked just like a real black spider. He was not surprised none of his ninjas had spotted it earlier. "How exactly did you find these?"

"I was in the woods with Jack looking for clues when one of them glinted in a nearby tree," Hayabusa replied.

"But they're flat black. How did they reflect any light?"

"The recent rainstorm had drenched everything. I'm guessing that the water made the spider glossy and reflected my flashlight's beam. I have about twenty in this bag. I think we need to research them further, but the technology here is insufficient for that task," Hayabusa said.

"I think you're right, Ryu. But I want to take a closer look at them before you return to town. The elders aren't going to like this."

Hayate walked off with the satchel and Hayabusa decided to pay Ayane a visit. As he crossed the bridge and entered the small Hajinmon village, he thought about the cameras and how much longer the small society of ninjas could stay hidden from the world.

* * *

_Saturday, December 17_

_8:21 P.M._

_Charity Medical Complex_

The hours passed slowly for Jack as he sat next to a fragile and damaged Kasumi, and the whole time he was thankful that she was still alive. The doctors had frequently told him that they hadn't seen anyone recover so well from that kind of extreme trauma and that she was truly a miracle. It seemed to be true what the doc had said about this special medication.

She stirred a few times, but not often and Jack wondered if she would wake up soon, or if it would be a couple days. There was one time when she muttered something in her sleep and Jack thought she had finally awoke, but it turned out to be a false alarm.

He had brought his own red thermos full of his super strong coffee, and he took a drink. The hospital's brew just wasn't doing the job. Even though he had slept until eleven o'clock, he hadn't fallen asleep until about five thirty the previous morning, so he was still a little tired.

Some color was finally returning to Kasumi's face, and the electric blanket was no longer needed to keep her warm, although the doctors made sure that she had a few thick blankets stacked over her. The dark bruise on her right cheek was still there, but it looked better. But not by much.

Jack couldn't see her body, because of the blankets that were draped over her, so he couldn't tell how the gashes were healing, but he knew it would be a while before they were completely gone, with or without the special medicine.

He noticed that the hospital staff had gotten very attached to Kasumi, knowing how special a case she was. Every so often, one of the nurses would come in and stand next to her, asking Jack a few questions about who she was and what might have happened. He would try to be hospitable, but the truth was he didn't know what happened to her or why she was hurt. A few doctors even came in to sit with her, when they weren't swamped with work. It was around eight thirty when one familiar doctor stepped into the room.

"How's your shoulder?"

Jack moved his left arm around gingerly. "It's doing okay, I guess. I'm right handed anyway, so it won't bother me too much."

Doctor Nikata leaned against the white wall and nodded. "Glad to hear that." He pointed towards Kasumi. "And what about her? Has she woken up yet?"

Jack shook his head. "Not yet. How fast does that medicine of yours work, anyway?"

The doctor took a seat in a spare chair one of the nurses dragged in earlier. "It depends on the patient. With her I'd guess it will work at a pretty fast rate, but she still won't be able to leave for almost a week. You know, she's all anyone will talk about in this place. She's quite popular.

Jack smiled, something he hadn't done in ages. "Well, that'll be new for her. But she'll like it, I guarantee you that." Jack paused a moment. "She didn't deserve this. If you knew what she was like, you'd know that she would never hurt anyone."

Nikata nodded solemnly. "No one deserves to be treated this way, Jack."

"You want some coffee?"

Nikata shrugged. "Sure. I'm going to need the energy later."

As he drank the hot brown beverage, Nikata glanced at Kasumi's face. "I think it will be safe for us the take her out of the ICU tomorrow morning, seeing as how she's making such a speedy recovery."

They sat and talked a few minutes, and then Nikata left the room, leaving Jack alone with Kasumi once again. He switched on the TV and watched a few movies on satellite TV, all the while talking to Kasumi, hoping that she would hear his voice and wake up, but to his disappointment, she stayed asleep.

* * *

_Saturday, December 17_

_9:45 P.M._

_Hajinmon Village_

Hayabusa had gone to Ayane's house earlier that evening, but she wasn't at home when he had arrived. He figured that she was out in the woods somewhere practicing her skills or pouting in a tree. Ever since he had known Ayane, Hayabusa knew that she very rarely stayed at home. It seemed odd to him that she was always avoiding things, but he never bothered to ask her about it. It was only after this ordeal with Kasumi, that he wondered if Ayane had ever properly dealt with the betrayal of her sister.

But he wasn't the type of guy that wanted to listen to her problems concerning Kasumi. That was more Jack's style than his. Even though he didn't really care about Ayane and her sister, Hayabusa found himself slightly intrigued by what went wrong between them, and wondered if that was why she was the way she was. But it could also have something do with how Murai had turned against her a few years ago.

When she finally returned from the forest, Hayabusa was waiting on her front deck. She was surprised to see him there, but she didn't let it show.

"You? What do you want now?"

Hayabusa shrugged. "Nothing."

To be honest, Hayabusa wanted to discuss something with her, but he just didn't feel that this particular time would be good, so he would ask about it later. For now he decided to just ask about Jack and Kasumi and see if there was something she had left out earlier.

Ayane brushed past him and entered her small dwelling. "If you just came here to stand on my front porch, you can leave. Otherwise, you should just spit out whatever you were going to say."

"How close were Jack and Kasumi when you last saw them together?"

Ayane thought back to the island and shrugged. "I don't know, I just ignored them most of the time. Why?"

"It's not important why. Can you remember anything else about their friendship?"

Ayane shook her head. "No. I already told you everything I know about him." She turned to face Ryu. "So, what did you find in town?"

Hayabusa debated whether to share the information about the cameras with her, and finally decided against it. If she found out about it, she might try to follow him back to town, and that was the last thing he wanted. "Nothing that would concern you. I think I had better get going."

Ayane watched as Hayabusa left, wondering what he had really came here to tell her. He had never really paid much attention to her before, so why start now? And she could tell that he had found something on his search in town, but he had hidden it from her for some reason. She would ask Hayate in the morning, but right now it was time to sleep.­­

* * *

_Sunday, December 18_

_4:52 A.M._

_Charity Medical Complex_

_Kasumi ran through the dimly lit corridors of an unfamiliar building, scared and alone. Everything was whitewashed and it all looked the same to her. Her leg still hurt but it didn't seem so bad anymore and she was able to run without tripping or falling. She passed many numbered doors but all of them were locked and her hope was dwindling away with every door she passed._

_Suddenly a black figure stepped out from behind a corner and pushed her down. She hit the tile floor hard, but quickly rolled to her feet and prepared to fight. No matter how hard she focused on the man's face, Kasumi couldn't recognize_ _him._

_"Who are you?" she asked cautiously._

_He never said a word. Instead he pulled out a large black gun and pointed it directly at her chest. She could almost feel his dark satisfaction at her fear._

_Kasumi quickly turned and ran back down the hall looking for a place to hide, but there was nothing there. She turned back around to face the man who was following her, hiding her fear. He walked slowly up to her and jammed the gun into her chest._

_BOOM!_

Kasumi snapped awake in a cold sweat as the terrifying nightmare ended, causing her to be filled with a deep panic. The first thing she felt was total fear, and then she slowly calmed down as her eyes wandered around the room. Everything was dark and a sleeping figure sat next to her, presumably Shark. She tried to remain calm and stop herself from crying, but she couldn't hold her emotions in check any longer. As she lost the last of her control, Kasumi felt the warm tears stream down her bruised face. He would start again soon, and she couldn't take any more.

The man in the chair sluggishly woke up as the sounds of her loud sobs drifted through the air. "Kasumi?"

"Please, don't hurt me anymore! I'm begging you to stop. I'll do anything, just don't start again! I can't....take...." Kasumi's wavering voice faded away as she sobbed. "Just stop....please...."

To her surprise, he gently held her bandaged hand and then she realized that she was no longer cold and instead of lying in a pool of blood on the cold table, she was snugly bedded down beneath two or three thick wool blankets. As her beautiful copper eyes looked away from the man sitting beside her, she noticed and that instead of seeing a darkened building through the window, she saw stars.

Jack got up to turn on the lights. Kasumi was indeed awake and she looked scared beyond anything he had ever seen before. Her cheeks were wet with tears and her eyes were closed. Something had been shattered deep inside her delicate heart and Jack was worried.

"Kasumi, it's me. Don't you remember?"

But then she recognized him and let out another volley of sobs, this with time tears of relief and joy. It all rushed back to her. She remembered the agonizing journey to town and how Duncan had nearly killed her in the forest earlier. Kasumi tried to speak, but she couldn't stop crying long enough to say anything.

"It's okay. You're safe now," Jack said warmly, walking back to her side.

Kasumi sat up and wrapped her arms around Jack, feeling an intense pain shoot through her entire body. But she didn't care about the pain, all she wanted to do was hold onto Jack and never let go.

Jack returned Kasumi's weak embrace and held her in his strong arms. "Go on, let it all out. I'm here for you."

She said nothing, but just continued to cry on his shoulder, feeling warm and safe in Jack's arms. She was overwhelmed with so many emotions, and it was hard for her to identify what she was feeling. All she could do was sob into his dark blue shirt, saying nothing for quite a while. He winced as she leaned on his gunshot wound, but he didn't move.

"It was so horrible," she wailed. "I could feel myself dying."

Jack gently stroked her long red hair. "I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I couldn't find you in time."

She continued to cry for almost half an hour, never letting Jack out of her grasp, afraid that if she did, she would lose everything. Finally she calmed down enough to talk.

"What did they do to you?" Jack asked.

Kasumi wiped her eyes. "It was so brutal, Jack. He didn't even let me rest. They beat me and cut me," Kasumi said, barely able to hold back her tears. "He made me want to curl up and die."

Jack was filled with grief at Kasumi's words. "He didn't rape you, did he? Because if he--"

Kasumi shook her head. "No."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Jack asked, releasing her from his arms. He looked into her deep amber eyes with his dark brown ones, seeing so much pain and misery behind them. "It could help."

"No, I don't want to remember right now." Kasumi's voice was still shaky. "I thought I was dead."

"I did too," he said. "When I saw him shoot you..." Jack let the sentence trail off as he considered what might have happened if he had found her sooner. _No, I'm not going to blame myself for this. It's not my fault._ But he felt guilty anyway.

As Kasumi lay back down on the white pillow, her body was filled with excruciating pain and she let out a sharp gasp followed by even more hot tears.

"Why does it still hurt?" she cried.

Jack wiped away a tear of his own, unable to see her pain. "The doctor said that you would still feel some pain for a while because of some internal damage to your organs and muscles. It should be gone in a few days. He told me to make sure you didn't make any sudden movements, such as leaping into my arms."

Kasumi smiled weakly. "Too late."

Jack sat down on the bedside next to her and held her impaled hand between his. "Are you sure you don't want to talk? It's not a good idea to keep this inside."

Kasumi suppressed her pain and slowly shook her head, deciding to quickly change the subject.

"How long have I been here?" she said as she blinked away her tears.

"Almost twenty-four hours. The medical staff is in love with you. You've had tons of visitors all day long. Everyone has been asking me who you are and what happened to you."

Kasumi smiled. "Really? What did you tell them?"

"I told them that you were the kindest most caring person I knew and that if they could only see how much compassion and courage was hiding behind that soft delicate smile of yours, they would feel changed somehow. I told them that I'm humbled everyday by the way you remain so optimistic, even when things seem to be falling to pieces around you. The remarkable things you do and the way you handle everything impresses me more than I can describe, and I told them that your physical beauty is only surpassed by your inner beauty."

Kasumi was speechless. "You really think all those things about me?"

Jack nodded. "Of course I do."

He picked up the plastic bag at the side of his chair and placed it on Kasumi's lap. Then he picked up the flowers and gave them to her as well. "I got these for you. I hope you like everything."

Kasumi stared in surprise at the bag that lay before her. The last real gift she could remember was an old doll her brother had made her when she was little. She remembered the girls on Zack Island would occasionally exchange gifts, but she never really got anything from them except a couple of hair clips or something small. She wiped the tears from her face and peaked inside the bag.

Jack watched her face light up with delight as she pulled an elaborate milky pink long sleeved blouse from the bag followed by a new pair of white pants.

"Oh, wow! They're gorgeous!"

"I figured that since your other clothes were ruined you might need some new ones. I know it's not much," Jack said.

Kasumi beamed. "I love them, Jack."

Jack grinned. "There's something else in the bag."

"Really?" she asked eagerly as she looked back inside the bag.

Kasumi quickly found the box at the bottom of the bag and opened it. Inside the box was a shiny brass and silver picture frame. It looked very expensive. Within the frame was the old picture of Kasumi and Ayane that Jack had found earlier.

Kasumi was at a complete loss for words. This picture brought back so many memories. She remembered the happy years before Ayane had turned against her so bitterly. Then she thought about the time right after she had decided to run away to avenge Hayate and kill his attacker.

It was a sudden move and she didn't even think about the consequences that she was bringing upon herself, but at the time she just wanted to bring Raidou to justice for causing so much grief to her family.

When she had finally succeeded in her mission, Kasumi thought she would feel a sense of closure, but all that greeted her was loneliness and misery. Things only got worse when she was experimented on by DOATEC. Donovan had used her for a ginuea pig and pitted her up against her genetically enhanced clones day after day, each time only winning by the narrowest of margins.

Then she escaped and tried to find a way to survive the assassins that the Shinobi were sending after her. She remembered how hard it had been those first few weeks and how alone she had felt. But she had gotten what she wanted. Hayate had been avenged, but at what cost? She never wondered whether it was worth it, because it was, but she often longed to return home so things could be normal again.

Jack felt uncomfortable with Kasumi's continued silence. "Maybe the picture wasn't such a great idea after all. I'm sorry--"

Kasumi interrupted him. "No," she whispered, gently touching the glass with her fingers, "It's absolutely perfect."

Jack took her new clothes and put them back in the plastic bag. "You should probably get some rest."

Kasumi nodded and put the shiny new frame on the table next to her bed. "Thanks Jack."

"It wasn't really that big a deal. I figured since I accidentally broke the other frame that--"

"No, not that. Thanks for caring enough to look for me," Kasumi said as she wiped another tear from her face. "It's more than anyone else would have done for me."

Jack nodded solemnly. "Anytime, Kasumi."


	14. Chapter Thirteen

**DISCLAIMER:** I DO NOT OWN ANY DEAD OR ALIVE CHARACTER. THOSE CHARACTERS BELONG TO TECMO, LTD. AND TEAM NINJA. I AM IN NO WAY INTENDING ANY COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT AND I'M NOT MAKING A PROFIT FROM THE USE OF THESE CHARACTERS. ANY CHARACTER NOT A PART OF DEAD OR ALIVE IS MINE AND MINE ALONE.

**Chapter Thirteen**

_Thursday, December 22_

_10:32 A.M._

_Jack's Apartment_

The next few days passed quickly for Jack. He spent most of his time with Kasumi, afraid to let her out of his sight. And she was enjoying all of the special attention she was getting from the staff there.

Jack was relieved to see that she was having fun and not dwelling on her pain. Her body seemed to have recovered almost completely. She could now move without stumbling, although her hip made any walking very slow and tedious work. All the internal damage has been healed, despite the fact that the bullet wounds and large gashes were still there, even though they were getting much better. In fact she looked almost as good as new. Jack expected there to be at least _some_ scars, but surprisingly, the medicine had prevented any from forming, keeping her skin smooth and soft.

Jack woke up in his apartment and fixed some peanut-butter waffles for breakfast, feeling like it had been days since he last ate a quality meal, if you call customized frozen waffles quality.

Kasumi was physically recovering very fast, but mentally, Jack wasn't so sure about. Other than the few words she had said to him when she woke up, Kasumi had kept silent about her experiences at the hands of the madmen. He wanted to get her to open up about it, but he couldn't bring himself to talk about the subject, knowing that it would only upset her. But there was only so long he was willing to wait.

Myamoto hadn't found any new information on the people who did this to her, which he had expected, but to his surprise nothing seemed to be happening. He had expected some half-hearted last attempt to eliminate her, but no one has tried anything so far. He sat down at the table and thought about everything that has happened.

_Maybe this whole thing has finally ended._

But Jack knew better. He knew in his heart that nothing ever ended this easily.

After Jack had finished eating he decided to go back to the hospital see how Kasumi was getting along. He figured that the longer she remained safe, the more likely it would be that someone would attack her. He knew he couldn't keep doing this though, because the cops were sniffing real close. All they had to do was find his gun and match the bullets that were in Duncan's body to prove he did it. And then he'll look bad because he didn't come forward. And his story was a little hard to believe, so it was doubtful that they would be convinced.

When he arrived at the Charity Medical Complex, Kasumi looked much happier than she had in a long time. As a matter of fact he hadn't seen her bright smile since before she was taken. She looked even more excited than usual this morning, and the bright rays from the sun that were streaming through the window accented her cheerfulness. Her beautiful smile melted his concerns and he couldn't help but smile back.

"Guess what, Jack?!" she asked excitedly, clapping her hands together. "They said that I can leave soon. Isn't that great?!"

"That's awesome! I bet you can't wait to get out of here."

Kasumi nodded. "That's a serious understatement. The food here is awful."

"The coffee isn't much better. Trust me," Jack laughed. "Is your leg feeling any better? I know that yesterday was a little hard for you."

Kasumi nodded. "Yeah, it's not as sore anymore. Doctor Nikata thinks that I should take a walk everyday to build back my strength and agility."

Jack nodded. "Sounds like a plan to me." Then he cleared his throat and looked at Kasumi with a serious expression. "I'm glad to see that your feeling better, but I still think you should be careful. These people aren't just going to give up, Kasumi."

"I know, but I'll be safe at you're place. They don't know about you so they won't be able to find me very easily."

Jack nodded. "That's true. But don't you want to tell someone about what happened? It might make you feel better to get it out of your system."

Kasumi took on an uncomfortable expression and looked down at the bed. "Jack, I can't really remember that much. It's all so foggy. I just remember the pain," she said. Her voice became shaky and she looked up at Jack with tears threatening to spill down her face. "It was so terrifying."

Jack began to feel uneasy and he quickly changed the subject, not wanting to steal away her happiness. "So when exactly are you going to be able to leave? Even though you were only there for a day, home just doesn't feel the same without you."

"Probably tomorrow or the next day." Kasumi said. "They said that I'll still need to be extra careful when I'm walking or sitting because of the gunshot wounds and my leg, but other than that I should be fine, if I don't strain myself."

"They don't need to worry about that. I'll look out for you."

Kasumi smiled. "I wish there was some way for me to show you how much it means to me that you're letting me stay with you."

"Don't even think about it. It's a privilege to have you around. Who else is going to keep me out of trouble?"

"I guess you're right," she laughed.

"So are they going to give you crutches?"

Kasumi nodded. "I think so, but I'm only going to get one. It should make things pretty easy."

"That's good. You should call me tomorrow when you're ready to be picked up. It doesn't matter what time it is. Okay?" Jack asked.

Kasumi smiled again and gave him a nod.

"I want you to know you can always talk to me at any time. Don't be afraid to let it out, Kasumi. I'll be there when you're ready," Jack said warmly.

He got up and pulled on his new jacket. He had an awful feeling of dread in his heart that the worst was yet to come, and as a former private eye, he knew better than to just shake it off. He was scared for Kasumi and he wanted to find the bastards who did this to her, before they found her and decided to finish the job.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

"I'm just going to go check a few things out, but I'll be back tonight sometime."

"I'll be here when you get back."

Jack gave Kasumi a quick hug and walked out of the room.

* * *

_Thursday, December 22_

_12:14 P.M._

_Airport_

Thomas waited at the airport terminal and continuously flipped the lid of his chrome zippo open and closed. Bayman's flight had just landed and he was anxious. He couldn't wait to get his hands on the money that Smith was going to give him. But of course he had learned not to trust Smith to keep his word, so he did have a backup plan.

He noticed Bayman almost immediately as he walked out of the gate. He wore a black long sleeved shirt and some gray camouflaged pants. Thomas pocketed his lighter and walked slowly up to Bayman.

"Do you always have to dress like a mercenary?! I mean we might as well be holding up a bloody neon sign," Thomas said angrily.

Bayman glared at him. "Do you have to talk at all? I hate your _bloody_ accent."

Thomas shrugged. "Deal with it, mate." He took out the picture of the red-headed girl that Smith gave him and handed it to Bayman.

"What's this?" he asked roughly.

Thomas grinned. "I want you to kill this girl and bring me the body. I want to make sure she's dead."

"This is what you called me down here for? Why don't you take care of her yourself?"

"Because I want to make sure it's done right." Thomas said simply.

Bayman nodded and stared hard at the picture. He swore he recognized her from somewhere. "Who is this girl?"

Thomas shrugged. "I don't know. Does it matter?"

Bayman shook his head. "No, I guess not. I want five hundred before and five hundred after. Got that?"

"No problem, mate."

"Where can I find her?" Bayman asked.

Thomas grinned. She's at the Charity Medical Complex at the moment, but if you don't hurry she'll be gone. My man on the inside says that she's going to be released tomorrow."

"Great," Bayman said sardonically.

He walked away from Thomas with the photo in his hand. He decided he would head over there immediately and watch the place. It would be impractical to attack her while she was in the hospital so he decided that he would get rid off her when she left. Which meant that he was going to have to stake the place out for the next twenty-four hours. _It's not like I have anything better to do._ he thought.

By two o'clock that afternoon he was looking at the hospital's front entrance through the windshield of the black Mitsubishi Galant he had just rented. This was going to be the easiest money he had ever made. Although it bugged him that he couldn't remember where he had seen that girl before. Then it hit him. She was in the last DOA tournament. He thought her name was Kasumi, but he wasn't positive. Well, she may have beat him last time, but this time it would be different.

Thomas grinned as he drove away from the airport. He picked up his phone and dialed Smith's number.

"What is it?" answered an irritated Smith.

"Yeah. It's me, Tom. I just wanted to let you know that your first target should be taken care of shortly. I've sent Bayman to finish her off."

"Excellent! Remember not to open the second subject's profile until the first target's been eliminated. I don't want you doing too many things at once. That's how mistakes are made."

Thomas rolled his eyes. "Don't worry. You'll get what you want."

"Oh, and I wanted to tell you that I've changed the location of The Organization's base of operations. The location in the forest has been compromised due the girl's escape. I want you to bring the girl's body and the second subject to warehouse fourteen in the commercial district," Smith said.

Thomas was confused. "But hasn't that place been abandoned for about ten years?"

"Exactly," Smith said.

"All right," Thomas said as he hung up the phone.

Smith had started The Organization a while back. It's purpose varied from time to time, but Thomas never understood why Smith was so bent on finding something nobody was even sure existed. It seemed like everything was falling apart.

* * *

_Thursday, December 22_

_2:12 P.M._

_Myamoto's Apartment_

Myamoto watched the screen on his computer intently and continued trying to trace the mysterious signal back into the woods. The signal was considerably weaker now like many of the relays had been removed from their designated locations. He shrugged and continued his task. He had bypassed the jamming signal but to find the true location of the hidden target he had to get past a firewall. He had tried earnestly to find the right code to get through, but there were so many decoys it was almost impossible to find the right key.

Suddenly the phone rang. "Hello?" he asked into the receiver.

"Hey, its Jack. I just wanted to let you know that you should start looking for other leads. I think the people who did this to Kasumi have figured us out and moved the location of their base."

"How do you know that?" Myamoto asked incredulously.

"Because I would," Jack said simply.

"You overestimate yourself, but I agree. This signal is a dead end and there's nothing on the Internet that I can find. I think we're cornered unless you can scrape together some new information."

"Believe me, Myamoto, I'm working on it." Jack said.

Myamoto recognized that tone. "What are you doing?"

"Getting some answers. Kasumi can't remember much so I'm going to see if I can backtrack her movements through the woods to see where she was being held."

"That's genius!" Myamoto exclaimed. why hadn't he thought of that. The recent rainstorm had made the ground all muddy which would leave a pretty distinct trail if someone was wandering through the woods. Then a thought occurred to him. "Don't you think the police will have the park blocked to the public by now?"

Jack laughed. "I think you're forgetting how good a private eye I was. I think I can get past a couple of beat cops. They can't possibly be watching the entire area."

"Be careful, man. I don't want to have to see your arrest all over the five o'clock news, and I'm sure Kasumi would feel the same."

"Don't worry, Myamoto. I can slip past them easily."

* * *

_Thursday, December 22_

_6:52 P.M._

_Jack's Apartment_

Hayabusa had just gotten back to town. Hayate hadn't been much help, and he didn't really have any new ideas. His best bet was to go back to Jack's apartment and see if he had found anything new in the past few days. He was still concerned about the situation with the park ranger and hoped Jack wasn't in jail or he would be waiting a long time.

As the hours passed Hayabusa became increasingly impatient. Finally at around seven Jack finally showed up wearing an extremely angry expression and carrying a small digital camera. Then he saw Hayabusa and lost it.

"Where the hell have you been?!" Jack asked angrily. "I thought you'd been killed or something!"

Hayabusa ignored the question and handed Jack a disabled spider-cam. "This might help explain my absence. I found these in the woods."

Jack grabbed the camera and looked it over. After about five minutes he angrily shoved it into his jacket pocket and handed Hayabusa the digital camera he had been holding. "I have something to show you as well. Look at this and tell me what you think it is."

Hayabusa looked at the small display screen and glared as he passed through the pictures, becoming increasingly disturbed as the images presented themselves. The first picture showed a darkened hallway and some bloody footprints on the dark tiled floor. Then he saw a photo of a large room that looked like the inside of an airplane hangar. At the far end of the room there was an open door leading into another darkened room. The last picture was the worst. This picture was taken inside a small concrete room. In the middle of the room was a large flat metal table with metal cuffs welded into it. The table was covered with blood and a few tattered pieces of white and blue fabric lay in the center of it.

"Where did you get these?" Hayabusa asked calmly.

"I found a tunnel entrance," Jack said.

Hayabusa looked at Jack. "That's not the answer I was hoping for. Where in the woods did you find this?"

"It doesn't matter now, they're gone." Jack paused. "That's Kasumi's blood."

Hayabusa looked Jack in the face and said nothing.

"Didn't you hear me?! That's Kasumi's blood! They did this to her. That son of a bitch was ripping her apart!" Jack yelled angrily.

Hayabusa nodded. "Where is she now?"

"I found her that night in the woods. It wasn't bad enough that they tortured her for days, but he shot her right in front of me. He shot her and then he laughed about it." Jack's tone was ice cold. "So I killed him."

"The park ranger?" Hayabusa asked.

Jack nodded. "I have to find whoever is responsible for this. I have to bring these monsters down."

"I have a little experience in the ways of vengeance and I have some advice for you: don't let this consume you, Jack," Hayabusa said. "It doesn't lead you to a desirable destination."

"I don't give a crap, Hayabusa," Jack said in the same icy tone he had used before. There was a secret to Jack that he never even let Kasumi see, for it could drive her away. Underneath that cool and sarcastic exterior, Jack had a dark pool of anger in him. His grandfather had it, his dad had it and he had it too. Nobody had ever brought it out in him before, but whoever did this to Kasumi has awakened the monster within him and if he ever got his hands on the person responsible for this, there would be no telling what would happen.

Hayabusa looked at Jack calmly. "Calm down, Jack. Do you think you could take me to see Kasumi?"

Jack took a deep breath and let his anger settle down inside him. He would use it when the time came. "Sure."

He led the way out to his green Jeep, and Hayabusa looked at all the dried blood stained on his seat. She must've been hurt far worse than he had imagined for this much blood to be soaked on the seats.

"Are you going to stare at that stain all night, or are you going to come with me to see the girl who made it?"

Hayabusa glared at Jack and climbed into the small SUV.

* * *

_Thursday, December 22_

_7:30 P.M._

_Charity Medical Complex_

Bayman watched intently as the green Jeep pulled up and parked a little ways away from where he was sitting. He could hear the conversation of the occupants as they got out. He leaned his seat all the way back and listened carefully.

"--doctor says she'll need a crutch for a while and that she should be especially careful because of her gunshot wounds. But other than that she'll be fine," the first man said.

"Good. Kasumi's lucky you were there, Jack." the second man replied.

"It was bad though, Hayabusa. You just saw the pictures. Being there for real was ten times worse."

The man named Hayabusa nodded. "I think I know how you feel."

After the two men entered the hospital, Bayman returned his seat to its original position. He remembered that the girl's name was Kasumi, which meant that there were a few men there to visit her. If they didn't leave before she was discharged, the situation could become very complicated very fast. He decided to call Thomas.

"Wilson."

Bayman cleared his throat. "We might have a situation."

He heard Thomas groan on the opposite end of the line. "What is it now?"

"A few guys just showed up to visit the girl. If they stick around, we may have a serious problem. What do you want me to do?" Bayman asked.

"Wait until you can get the girl alone. We don't want to draw any unwanted attention. Kill her as soon as they leave."

"You have to take the fun out of everything, don't you?" Bayman said.

He heard Thomas hang up the phone so he put his away as well. The mystery men probably wouldn't stay until she was going to be released, but someone would probably be planning to pick her up tomorrow. He was going to have to get to Kasumi early before anyone came for her.


	15. Chapter Fourteen

**DISCLAIMER:** I DO NOT OWN ANY DEAD OR ALIVE CHARACTER. THOSE CHARACTERS BELONG TO TECMO, LTD. AND TEAM NINJA. I AM IN NO WAY INTENDING ANY COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT AND I'M NOT MAKING A PROFIT FROM THE USE OF THESE CHARACTERS. ANY CHARACTER NOT A PART OF DEAD OR ALIVE IS MINE AND MINE ALONE.

**Chapter Fourteen**

_Thursday, December 22_

_7:41 P.M._

_Charity Medical Complex_

Hayabusa and Jack walked into Kasumi's room at around seven forty-five. The moment Jack stepped into the room she smiled brightly and sat up in her bed, glad to see him again. But when she spotted Hayabusa as he followed him into the room, she looked surprised and confused.

"Hayabusa? What are you doing here?" she asked.

Jack nodded. "I guess there's no need for formal introductions here. Hayabusa and I were working together to find you. You two seem to know each other."

Kasumi nodded. "He's my brother's best friend. Did Hayate send you?" she asked.

Hayabusa was just about to ask Jack to leave the room, when Jack's cell phone rang. "Hello?"

"Jack, I think I've found something!" Myamoto exclaimed.

"I'll be right back, guys," Jack said. "I've got to take this. Don't have too much fun without me."

As soon as Jack left the room Kasumi looked out the window. "Does he know about the village?"

"No, he doesn't know who you are," Hayabusa said. "I'm wondering why you were so reckless as to bring an outsider into this mess."

Kasumi sighed. "I couldn't help it. You don't understand what it's like to be all alone in the world."

Hayabusa knew exactly what it was like, but he accepted her response. "Hayate sent me to see who was trying to expose the village. I need you to tell me everything that happened to you."

Kasumi lay back down on her pillow and closed her eyes. "I don't know very much. Everything's so blurry."

"Are you concentrating? I need to know who these people are," Hayabusa said calmly.

Kasumi thought hard. "I remember a short man. He seemed to be the one in charge. His name was Smith. The one who hurt me, I think his name was Shark, but he left when I escaped."

Hayabusa nodded. "Good. Anything else?"

"I don't think so," Kasumi with a slightly unstable voice. Her emotions were building inside her as the memories of the past week came flooding into her mind and she was finding it increasingly hard to keep her feelings in check.

"This is important, Kasumi. Think hard!" Hayabusa pushed. "The village depends on this."

"I've told you everything I know!" she cried. "Please, just leave me alone!"

Just then Jack walked back into the room with a serious expression. Then he spotted Kasumi. "What did you do?" he asked Hayabusa.

"I didn't _do_ anything," he said. "Who was that?"

Jack sighed. "That was Myamoto. He says he's found something, but he wants me to see it for myself. He's stubborn like that."

Kasumi looked at Jack. "Who's Myamoto?"

"Didn't I tell you about him? He's the one that pointed me towards the woods. If it weren't for him, I would never have found you," Jack said. "I'll bring him with me when I pick you up tomorrow. He probably wants to meet you."

"So he's the one you're always talking to on the phone," Hayabusa said.

"Duh. You didn't think I guessed that we should look in the woods, did you?"

Hayabusa responded by glaring at Jack. "I think I'm going to leave now."

Jack moved out of the doorway to let Hayabusa through. Then he took a seat next to Kasumi.

"It looks like you're going to be safe after all," Jack said with a smile. "Tomorrow's the big day. I'll make you a special 'welcome home' breakfast. I can make some killer strawberry pancakes."

"That sounds wonderful. I can't wait to get out of here," Kasumi said. "This place creeps me out."

What really creeped her out was the nightmares. Every time she closed her eyes she was back in the white halls, a shadowy evil voice echoing all around her. Every time it ended the same way, with the mystery man shooting her through the heart. She had bad dreams before, but never like this.

"Kasumi? Did you hear me? Jack asked.

Kasumi blinked a few times and smiled. "Oh, I'm sorry. I must've spaced out. What did you say?"

"I said I'm going to have to leave pretty soon. I just wanted to remind you to call me when you can be picked up. I don't care how early it is."

"Thanks, Jack. I will. I'll see you tomorrow."

* * *

_Thursday, December 22_

_7:59 P.M._

_Charity Medical Complex_

Bayman spotted Jack as he left the front entrance. Now was his chance. He waited for Jack to drive away before he got out of the black sedan and walked into the hospital, ready to end the girl's life once and for all. He was already thinking of ways to spend his money when he stepped through the glass doors.

"How can I help you?" the receptionist asked.

Bayman cleared his throat. "I'm here to pick up a friend. Her name is Kasumi."

"One moment."

Bayman waited impatiently as the man behind the desk reviewed Kasumi's file.

"I'm afraid she's not supposed to be released until tomorrow morning."

Bayman sighed. "Well can you tell me what room she's in? I'd like to see her."

"Room 26B. If you get lost, just look at the signs posted on the walls. She's been through a lot, so try not to upset her."

"Thanks," Bayman said.

After he found her room he walked in quietly and closed the door behind him, making sure that no one would see what he was about to do. The girl lay sleeping peacefully on the bed in the middle of the room, the moonlight streaming through a large window and bathing her figure in a pale blue light and adding an eerie glow to the cluster of flowers and balloons surrounding her bed. The staff seemed to have gotten a little attached to her. He quietly walked over to her and pinned her arms down with his hands. Kasumi snapped awake instantly and tried to jerk herself free, but his grip was too strong.

"Don't move," Bayman said roughly. "Or else."

Kasumi saw the futility of fighting him at this moment, so she relaxed. "Let me go!" she yelled.

Bayman lifted one of his hands and punched her in the right shoulder, which had been shot and carved by Shark's blade. When he pulled his fist away, there was a large red stain on the girl's white hospital gown.

Kasumi attempted to stifle the devastating pain that was shooting through her arm as large tears streamed down her face. "What do you want?!" she demanded.

"I want you to check yourself out. Go get dressed," Bayman said.

"Make me," she said angrily.

"If that's what you want," Bayman chuckled.

He used his knee and pressed it down hard on her right hip, knowing that it would be especially excruciating. Smith had filled him in on where she had been hurt and he planned to use that information to his advantage.

Kasumi almost shrieked as the unbearable pain flowed through her leg. "Oh! Wait!"

She reluctantly grabbed the bag Jack had given her earlier and climbed out of the bed. Slowly, she limped her way into the bathroom, almost falling after her first few steps. When she had changed into her new clothes, she sluggishly hobbled out into the room.

"We're leaving. Now go to the front desk."

Kasumi stood still, refusing to let herself be pushed around for another second. "I'm not going anywhere."

Bayman said nothing, but swiftly approached her and threw her to the floor by grabbing her shoulders and shoving her down as hard as he could.

Kasumi landed hard, and lay on the hospital floor unable to stop herself from crying out in pain. She was still sobbing uncontrollably when Bayman hauled her off of the carpet and pushed her against a wall. He then sent a brutal punch to her bandaged waist and watched in satisfaction as she collapsed to the blue carpet, gasping for air with hot tears of agony running down her face.

Just as he was about to kick her in the ribs, Kasumi spoke up. "All right," she said in a hoarse whisper. "Just don't hit me anymore. I'll go to the lobby."

She miserably scrambled to her feet, and wiped her face with her sleeve. Then she tried to walk towards the front of the hospital, but it was hard for her to keep from falling and she was moving very slow.

Bayman tapped Kasumi on the back. "Move faster."

She glared at him with glistening eyes. "I can't."

Bayman roughly shoved her, causing her to stumble and fall to the hard tile floor. "I said move faster."

Kasumi again wiped the tears from her face and struggled to crawl to her feet, but was unable to stand. Eventually, Bayman jerked her up by her long shiny hair and forced her to walk down the hall, making her cry even more than she already was. She tried to walk at a steady pace so the man standing behind her wouldn't push her anymore, but it hurt too much, and eventually she had to stop and lean on a wall.

"Hurry up." Bayman said roughly.

"If you want me to move faster you should get me some crutches."

"Fine." Bayman walked into a nearby closet and looked for some. He eventually found them and handed them to her. "Now move before I get impatient."

Kasumi hesitated, looking for some way to escape. She could fight him, but in the narrow hall she wouldn't have any room to maneuver. It would be suicide.

"Move!" Bayman yelled in her face.

Kasumi flinched and started limping down the hall, aided by the metal crutches. She would think of something eventually, but she had to escape. However, with every second that passed, Kasumi lost more and more hope of staying alive throughout the night.

Just before they reached the lobby, Bayman grabbed Kasumi's arm and whirled her around to face him, almost making her collapse. "Clean your face. You don't want the receptionist to think something's wrong do you?"

Kasumi wiped away her tears once more and tenderly limped into the lobby. The receptionist looked up at her. "What can I do for you?"

Bayman squeezed her shoulder tightly to make sure she wouldn't try anything funny.

It took Kasumi everything she had to keep from screaming. "I would like to check myself out, please." Her voice was slightly shaky.

The receptionist looked suspicious. "Are you all right?"

Kasumi nodded and blinked away her tears. "I'm fine. I just want to get out of here."

The man behind the desk concluded she must have some kind of allergy. "Okay, hold on a second."

After about ten minutes, they walked out to Bayman's rental car. Bayman quickly took her crutches. He didn't want to let her have any chance to use them as weapons. After placing them in the front seat, he opened the back door. "Get in," he said.

Kasumi slowly walked over to the door, moving as fast as she could without falling. Suddenly, Bayman grabbed her arm and threw her into the car. After slamming the door, he grinned. "You move too slow."

"Where are you taking me?" Kasumi asked.

"The piers."

She knew what he was going to do. Smith must've sent him to kill her. She wished Jack were here to help. Normally, she could take Bayman easily, but right now her hip was still extremely sore and the bullet wounds were still very vulnerable places. He seemed to know that she had been shot, which meant it must've been Smith, or someone he worked with, who sent him. She would have to try and fight him anyway. It was her only chance.

After Bayman had stopped the car near an old warehouse, he got out and walked over to her door. She tried to hit him with it, but it was still locked. He must've activated the child safety locks. Bayman jerked the door open and pulled her out by her hair, causing her eyes to water. She let out a small whimper and winced when he brought her up to his eye level.

"You may have beat me in DOA, but you're not going to beat me this time. Prepare to die."

Then he threw her to the hard ground. He moved in to stomp on her, but she quickly rolled out of the way. After scrambling to her feet, she waited for Bayman to make his next move.

He grinned. "This is too easy."

Bayman charged Kasumi with his shoulder, but she blocked and hit him with four successive punches to the chest, knocking the wind out of him. He staggered backward and tried to catch his breath. Kasumi wasn't about to let him recover. She rushed forward and struck him with her elbow, almost losing her balance from the pain in her hip.

Bayman took the blows, but he still kept coming. "This isn't funny anymore. It's time to get serious."

He attempted to kick her in the stomach, where he knew it would do the most damage, but Kasumi disappeared in a whirl of pink blossoms, and then appeared behind him. Before he had time to turn around, she smacked him in the head with the back of her hand. Bayman's head spun, and he angrily charged Kasumi with everything he had. Quickly, she stepped aside, causing him to run into the side of the dark rental car, denting the door and causing Bayman to let out an angry howl. _My best chance is to keep blocking his attacks, _she thought to herself.

"You...." his voice was thick with fury and frustration, "You may be fast, but are you fast enough?" He slowly crawled to his feet, his back facing her.

"What?" Kasumi asked.

"Let's see how fast you really are, princess."

Before she could react to that statement, Bayman whirled around and threw a fistful of dirt in her face.

Kasumi let out a short stunned cry as she quickly brought her hands up to her eyes, which burned intensely. She stumbled around almost falling to the ground, unable to see anything other than blurry colors and bright lights.

Bayman laughed as he calmly walked up to the blinded girl. "Not so tough now, are you?"

Kasumi threw a punch in the direction she thought he was standing, but it was a clumsy attempt and she hit nothing but air. Bayman quietly snuck up behind her and delivered a low kick to the back of the knees, forcing her to the ground. Then he picked her up and threw her into the brick wall of warehouse eight, cracking several old bricks and leaving a small spot of crimson on the wall where she had hit. He laughed at his victory, but stopped abruptly when Kasumi sluggishly scrambled to her feet. She looked at him with watery eyes and took her stance, knowing that her chances were small. But she also knew that she would have no chance at all unless she resisted.

"I'll get you!" Bayman yelled in pure anger.

He ran up to her and tried to kick her in her bad hip, but she blocked, barely. But before Kasumi could retaliate, Bayman grabbed her by the neck with both hands and held her up in the air, letting her feet dangle about a foot off of the ground. Slowly, he squeezed her delicate neck in his large hands, causing her to let out a despairing cry of panic.

Kasumi gasped for air, and struggled desperately to free herself from Bayman's vice-like grasp. She kicked and pleaded for him to let her go, but it was no use. He was too strong, and she was too weakened by pain to resist any more. After only a few seconds, she began to feel weak and lightheaded, her vision starting to fade away. Then she slowly went limp in his hands, struggling to breathe.

Bayman waited until she was nearly unconscious before leaning her against the damaged brick wall and pounding her in the stomach with his knee as hard as he could.

Kasumi inadvertently screamed in anguish as the blow connected with her bullet wound, making blood seep onto her brand new pink blouse. She tried to keep consciousness, for she knew that as soon as she slipped away she would never wake up again, but it was so hard to stay awake. Bayman dropped her, watching with satisfaction as she crumpled to the ground like an old rag doll.

Her soft amber eyes shimmered with warm tears as her head slowly drooped towards the ground. "Jack...." she muttered. "Help....me...."

Bayman laughed as he raised his foot and kicked her in the abdomen, causing her to double over and cough, a tiny amount of blood dribbling from her soft lips. As she lay face down on the cold gravel, fighting to breathe and sobbing from the agony of Bayman's blows, Kasumi could feel him place his foot on her damaged hip.

"You lose."

"No....don't....please...." she whimpered softly, her tears escaping into the ground. "I....just want....to go....home."

Bayman mercilessly stomped down on her stressed joint, drowning out her anguished screams, only thinking of his money.

Kasumi's brain was overwhelmed with pain as the large man towering over her continued to apply more and more pressure onto her leg. All she could do was let out a sorrowful cry of suffering as she slowly lost the last of her grip on reality and fell into the infinite dark.

When Bayman was sure that the girl under his foot had passed out, he stooped down and grabbed her long red hair in his fist, yanking her head back and exposing her neck. Then he took out a long black bayonet and held it to her throat. He drew back his hand and--

Bayman jumped as his cell phone rang loudly in his pocket. He released Kasumi's hair and reached for his phone.

"What do you want?" he asked angrily into the receiver.

"Have you killed the girl yet?" Thomas asked on the other end of the line.

"You again?" Bayman asked irritably.

"Just answer the question."

"I was just about to when you interrupted me."

"So she isn't dead yet?"

"No, why?"

Thomas cleared his throat. "There's been a change of plans."

"What now?" Bayman asked.

"Smith wants you to bring the girl to warehouse fourteen. Alive."

"Alive?" Bayman asked incredulously, "What changed his mind?"

"He says he wants to try something new on her," Thomas replied. "He said something about a new approach or something like that. Just take her to the warehouse before he gets pissed."

"Whatever. She's already unconscious, so it should be easy to just dump her there. Is he going to pay me at the drop site?"

"Yeah. Just make sure she's alive." Thomas said. "We don't want any screw-ups, okay?"

Bayman heard a distinct click as he hung up the phone.

"I guess it's not over for you," Bayman said to the unconscious girl.

He put the razor sharp bayonet back in it's thick leather sheath and roughly grabbed Kasumi's sweaty arm, dragging her back to the car. He then took out some thick ropes and tied her arms and legs as tightly as he could without cutting off her circulation. When he was done, he pulled her limp body off the ground and violently threw her into the back seat, not caring when her head hit the door on the opposite side of the car. He slammed the door and walked around to the driver's side of the dark sedan. Warehouse fourteen was all the way across the piers. It would take a few minutes to get there.

* * *

_Thursday, December 22_

_8:24 P.M._

_Myamoto's Apartment_

Jack walked into Myamoto's apartment at almost eight thirty. Myamoto sat with his back turned to the door. He was munching on some cold leftover pizza, as usual.

"Hey, Jack come here. I found out what the name of the organization who took your friend is. You want some pizza?"

Jack immediately became interested. "What is it?"

"The Organization."

Jack nodded and grabbed a slice out of the box. "Yeah, what's the name of the organization?"

Myamoto laughed. "That's it. _The Organization_."

"What a crappy name." Jack said. "Do you know who runs it?"

Myamoto swallowed another bite of his food. "Smith is the guy's name. I can't tell you if it's his first, his last, of even if it's real, but that's what it says his name is. I'm assuming he was in charge of Kasumi's abuse."

Jack sighed. "Great. How am I supposed to find him?"

"That's the good part. You already did."

"Listen Riddler, I'm not Batman. I don't have time to be messing around. If you know something, spill it." Jack said irritably, taking a bite of his piece of pizza.

"All right, all right. You know when you backtracked Kasumi's trail?"

Jack nodded.

"Well, the tunnel entrance you told me about over the phone is the registered address on the Organization's main bank account."

"How do you know that?" Jack asked.

"Because that's how I found out about Smith. The Organization footed a big bill. Five million dollars were wired to a Mr. Duncan on Friday night. Then an hour later, the wire transfer was canceled. The same thing happened to a Mr. Shark. Then another ten million was wired to a Mr. Wilson. That one hasn't been canceled as of now."

Jack was amazed. "That's great. Except for the fact that the place Kasumi's trail led me to was abandoned."

Myamoto sighed. "Why don't you just let the police handle this? It would be a lot easier on all of us."

Jack shook his head. "Two reasons, my friend. One, the cops are too slow and they'll just put him in jail for a couple years. Two--," Jack pulled his digital camera from out of his pocket, "these photos."

Myamoto looked at the horrible photos that Jack had shown Hayabusa earlier. "Tell me this isn't--"

"Yes, that's Kasumi's blood. All of it," Jack said coldly.

"I'm so sorry. I had no idea that she was hurt this badly," Myamoto whispered. "This is horrible."

Jack took the camera back from Myamoto. "I know. I want these monsters to pay."

Myamoto nodded. "I'll do my best to see if any address changes have been made, but I doubt anything will turn up."

Jack knew the odds were small. At least Kasumi was safe. He knew she loved strawberry millefeuille, and he decided he would have to buy one for her tomorrow before she was brought home. He would rent some movies too. She deserved to have some fun after all the trouble she's been through.

"Well, I'm going to head back home. Tomorrow's going to be a big day. Kasumi's coming back from the hospital. You want to meet her?"

"Do I? I'd love to see her. From the way you talk about her, she must be an amazing woman. You sure I won't be a third wheel?"

"Nah, it'll be fun. I think we'll all go to the movies," Jack said as he walked out the door.

When he arrived back home, Hayabusa was waiting for him. "I want to help, Jack."

"You know you're hanging out here too much when I expect to see you," Jack said as he closed the door. He hung up his jacket and sat down on the couch.

"I think we should work together on this."

"Whatever happened to all that 'don't seek vengeance' crap?" Jack asked.

"I still don't agree with your reasons, but mine aren't the same as yours." Hayabusa thought about the Shinobi village. He couldn't let them become endangered.

"So, what these people did to Kasumi has absolutely no effect on you?" Jack asked.

"Kasumi is fine now."

Jack shook his head. "No, Hayabusa. Kasumi isn't fine. You have no idea what she's been through, or what she's feeling inside. She probably won't be fine for a very long time."

"I will meet you here tomorrow at noon. We need to formulate a plan." Hayabusa ignored Jack's remark.

"No can do, Mr. ninja, I'm going to be taking Kasumi and Myamoto to the movies. How about later?"

"Fine, I'll be here at seven." Hayabusa opened the window.

"Hey, you see that large rectangular piece of wood over there? You know, the one with the shiny metal knob? It's called a door. Use it." Jack said.

Hayabusa glared at him and vanished into the night.

* * *

_Thursday, December 22_

_8:52 P.M._

_Organization Compound 32_

Smith looked at his new headquarters with satisfaction. He had way more space under the warehouse than he did in the woods. Now he had two interrogation stations, and a vast array of tools. On top of that he had a state-of-the-art computer networking system to monitor any suspicious activity, inside the building and outside. The place reminded him of a laboratory, only way bigger than any lab he had ever seen. The walls were white and the floors were made of tile. And the fact that it was underneath an abandoned warehouse meant that no one would ever get suspicious. He was in an especially good mood since the Shinobi girl had been re-captured. He dialed Tom's phone number.

"Wilson."

"It's Smith."

"Bayman is bringing the girl to warehouse fourteen now, so what do you want?"

Smith chuckled. "I wanted to tell you to go ahead and open the second envelope. I want the second subject here by noon tomorrow. It shouldn't be too hard to find--"

Thomas cut him off. "I'm looking at the picture now. I must say, you've gathered quite a bit of information. I could probably get the subject to you before noon."

"Excellent! Make sure you don't let anyone see you. Shoot the tranquilizer darts from a distance and then recover the body."

"I think I know how to capture someone." Thomas said irritably.

After Smith hung up, he thought of the red headed girl. He was going about it the wrong way last time. He would still use physical pain, but emotional pain worked much better. He would destroy her mind and then her body, and there was no one left to stop him. Except the man who helped her in the woods, but if he was a real threat, he would've found her sooner.

He took the elevator up to the ground floor just as Bayman dragged her through the front door.


	16. Chapter Fifteen

**DISCLAIMER:** I DO NOT OWN ANY DEAD OR ALIVE CHARACTER. THOSE CHARACTERS BELONG TO TECMO, LTD. AND TEAM NINJA. I AM IN NO WAY INTENDING ANY COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT AND I'M NOT MAKING A PROFIT FROM THE USE OF THESE CHARACTERS. ANY CHARACTER NOT A PART OF DEAD OR ALIVE IS MINE AND MINE ALONE.

**Chapter Fifteen**

_Friday, December 23_

_10:02 A.M._

_Jack's Apartment_

Jack woke up late the next morning. The sunlight filtered through his bedroom window, illuminating the entire room with its bright rays. He groggily glanced at his black alarm clock, which read ten on it's dim face.

After taking a shower, Jack got dressed and walked out to his Jeep. This was the big day that he had been waiting for since last Saturday. Kasumi was finally getting out of the hospital. Before arriving at the medical complex, he stopped by the bakery to get a freshly made strawberry millefeuille cake. However, when he got to the hospital he received some very disturbing news.

"I'm sorry, sir, but it seems your friend checked herself out at around eight o'clock last night. She's not here anymore."

Jack shook his head. "That's impossible. She agreed to call me this morning so that I could pick her up. Are you sure?"

The woman behind the desk looked at him pointedly. "It says so right here on the computer."

"Was anyone with her?" Jack asked.

The receptionist shrugged. "I work the morning shift. You're going to have to ask the night receptionist."

"Great. Where can I find him?"

"I can't give you that information. If you want to talk to him, come back tonight."

Jack nodded. "Thanks a lot."

He turned and left the hospital, mentally kicking himself. This was very bad news. If anything had happened to Kasumi the one night he decided to go home, he would hold it against himself for the rest of his life. It was so stupid of him to leave her alone like that. Unfortunately, he would have to wait until tonight before he could do anything. He knew one thing for sure; Kasumi didn't leave because she wanted to. Someone or something must've forced her to leave. They had already made plans for today, so there was no way she would check herself out. At least not voluntarily.

Jack walked back to his Jeep with a heavy heart, placing the fresh cake he had just bought on the passenger's seat. As he started the car, Jack played all the possible options he had at his disposal through his mind, but concluded that he really didn't have any choice but to wait until tonight. He prayed that Kasumi would be all right, but things didn't look too good.

On the drive back home he thought about what could have possibly happened last night. Most likely this 'Smith' character had somehow re-captured her and killed her, but that was worst case scenario, and he refused to believe that she could be dead. Maybe she had just decided to surprise him and come home early, but if that were the case she would already be back in his apartment, and there as no reason for her to go through that much trouble when he had already agreed to give a ride.

"Damn!" Jack yelled in frustration.

It was all his fault. He suspected something was going to happen, so why didn't he stay that last night? It was so stupid of him. He was never usually that careless, especially when the one thing he valued most was in danger.

_You can't watch her all the time, Jack. There was nothing you could do._

Jack knew that what he was thinking was true, but if he had just stayed a few more hours, this could've been prevented. Kasumi could have been saved from such a terrible fate. His actions had irrefutably put her life in danger, and for what reason? Why had he left?

_You left because you thought she'd be safe. There was no way for you to know that this could happen._

He sighed. It was just like his father's murder. He was just a kid when it happened, and that was the main reason he worked so hard to become a private eye. At just nineteen years old he had become a dead shot with his dad's old Beretta and he had managed to start his own firm. And then after only a year, everything fell apart and he had run away to Japan.

But there was nothing to be done about his old man's death. Kasumi, on the other hand, might still have a chance. If he acted swiftly and decisively, she could be saved.

Soon, he arrived at home. He walked over to the fridge and sadly placed the strawberry millefeuille inside. Glancing at the clock, which now read eleven thirty, Jack plopped down on the couch. He picked up his cell phone and called Myamoto.

"Hello?"

"Hey," Jack said gloomily.

"What's wrong, Jack?" Myamoto asked.

Jack sighed. "She's gone."

"Kasumi? But I thought--"

Jack interrupted. "Supposedly, she checked herself out last night. I couldn't get any information from the clerk."

"I could hack into the hospital's records and see if anything looks out of place."

Jack nodded. "Good. Call me if you find anything. I might come by later."

"Sure. Just stop by whenever you want. I'll be here all day."

"Thanks," Jack said as he hung up the phone.

Just then Hayabusa climbed into the window. Jack sighed. "I'm going to have to start locking that thing again." Then he remembered that he had started locking it when his fern had been knocked over. "Did you break my lock?"

"Yes," Hayabusa said.

Jack rubbed his face with his hands. "Wonderful. This day just keeps getting better and better."

"What happened?" Hayabusa asked.

"Kasumi is missing. Again."

* * *

_Thursday, December 22_

_12:31 P.M._

_Organization Compound 32_

Smith watched the sleeping form of the Shinobi girl that was now laying on the concrete floor of the warehouse intently. He wanted her to be awake when she was brought downstairs so he could see the look of pure horror in her bright amber eyes.

Kasumi, unaware that she was under close observation, stirred and let out a pained moan when she tried to move, due to the punishment that Bayman had dished out earlier. Her neck had a kink in it and her shoulders hurt from the rough way in which Bayman had tied her, especially her hurt right shoulder.

Smith grinned. "Welcome back. You honestly didn't think I was just going to leave you alone. No one escapes from the Organization, especially runaway Shinobi who give me a hard time."

Kasumi's head was pounding and she was sore all over. It felt like she had just been hit by a speeding truck. She noticed that there was fresh blood on her new clothes. The fight last night must've caused her gunshot wounds to start bleeding again. However, it seemed that the bleeding had stopped some time before she had waken up, even though the pain from the struggle was still very strong. Her entire body ached with a terribly overwhelming agony from the way she had been thrown around in the hospital. She had a splitting headache from when she had been tossed into the brick wall, and she could still taste blood in her mouth. Smith watched in amusement as she struggled with her bonds.

"Let me go! I'm not going to tell you anything!" she yelled angrily.

Smith smiled. "I know. I don't want to ask you any questions."

Kasumi stopped struggling as Smith's words sank into her thoughts. Fear welled up inside her, but she never let it show on her face.

"You _will_ pay for this," Kasumi said, trying her best to sound intimidating.

"Oh, and I suppose your friend Jack is going to save you. Well, I wouldn't bother thinking about him. He's already been taken care of."

Kasumi froze. "How do you know about Jack? What did you do?"

"You talk in your sleep," Smith said, "Let me show you something."

Smith walked up to Kasumi and pulled her up by the arms. He then dragged her to the hidden door that led to the elevator. After crudely throwing her inside, he calmly pressed the button that led to his secret base.

Kasumi used the wall to climb to her feet, but Smith hit her hard in the hip with his knee. She howled in pain as her knees buckled, causing her to collapse to the floor, tears of misery streaming down her face.

Then the elevator's bell dinged and the doors swung open. Smith grabbed Kasumi's arm once again and dragged her to one of his new interrogation stations. This one was much different from the table. It didn't look like anything she had seen before, nor would care to see again. Basically, it was a vertical stretcher in a large metal frame. There were restraints on the frame and the stretcher.

Smith roughly picked her up and shoved her back hard against the closest stretcher, making her wince. He untied her hands and attempted to put them in the upper restraints on the frame, but Kasumi jerked her arm free and slapped him across the face with all the force her weakened arm could muster, causing Smith's nose to bleed. He responded by slamming his fist angrily into her stomach, making the injured girl double over and weep. Smith then grabbed her sore neck and slammed her flat against the stretcher.

Kasumi gasped loudly as his fierce blow knocked the wind out of her, the rest of her body going weak against the frame. Smith knew Duncan had shot her there, so he knew it would be extremely agonizing.

After he had finished securing her into the station he walked over to a nearby computer console, grinning victoriously.

"The apparatus you are now fastened to can do a great many things. Here's an example," Smith said as he hit a blinking red button.

Suddenly, the frame began to rise on hydraulic pistons, however, the stretcher remained bolted to the floor. Kasumi felt her arms being pulled upward and she resisted with all of her strength. But the machine easily overpowered her and she let out an agonized scream when her arms were stretched beyond their natural limits. He left the frame in this excruciating position enjoying Kasumi's pained cries thoroughly. Then he pressed a blue button, which lowered it again.

"I have gotten many new toys since you have been gone. Actually, I've had these all along, but I've never found a place big enough to install them. As you can see, I have now found adequate space."

Kasumi's arms were already sore from the position she had been tied in and the way Smith had dragged her around, but this machine increased her pain a thousand times over. After it had returned to it's original position, she blinked away her tears and looked at Smith with anger burning like a hot fire in her bright copper eyes.

"You might....as well kill me....because I'm not....going to say....anything to you," she panted.

"Tsk. Tsk. Didn't I already tell you I don't want any answers from you? I have another use for you," Smith said calmly. "A much more diabolical one. I'm just doing this to hear your beautiful screams. When I get bored, then I'll kill you."

"You are....one sick....monster...." Kasumi said, still unable to regain her breath.

He walked up to her and stood about five or six inches from her face. "Tell me, how is your hip feeling?"

She braced herself for a blow, but there was none. Only Smith's twisted laughter at her flinching. After she had relaxed, he slapped her hard on the swollen joint, making her yell loudly and break down in tears.

Just then a British voice came over the intercom. "I've got your second target up here. If you--," there was some scuffling in the background, "--if you want to see this person alive, you had better get your bloody ass up here before I kill--"

Smith hit a black square button that Kasumi assumed activated the microphone. "I'll be right up. Use your stun gun. I gave it to you for a reason," he said loudly over her pathetic sobs.

After Smith had left, Kasumi examined her surroundings. She was in a large room facing a glass wall of windows. Outside the windows, there were numerous computer consoles and things like that, their lights illuminating the huge room below her like street lights in Tokyo. It looked like an airport control room out there. Everything looked so complex and delicate. This place was far larger than the warehouse above it, and nearly twice the size of the place she had escaped earlier. Inside the large room there was another of the stretcher devices, and a couple of tables with various dangerous objects on them. The floors were a clean white tile, but she had a feeling they wouldn't stay that way for long. The walls were also white making the room very reflective. If it weren't for the window, Kasumi believed her headache would be considerably worse.

She thought about Jack and what might have happened to him. Smith said something about taking care of him, and she wondered if he had sent Bayman to kill him as well. She knew that Jack was a careful man, so he probably would be able to have his pistol handy if anything bad happened. But Bayman was a professional hit man, and as far as she knew, Jack had no experience with assassins.

Kasumi continued to tell herself that he would be all right and he would come and look for her, but she was still very worried, and she knew her chances were small. She thought about the way Smith had dumped that tank of water on her and hit her even though Shark didn't like his use of excessive force. It would probably be much worse when Shark wasn't here to be a deterrent.

Breaking her chain of thought, Smith and another man walked back into the room, dragging someone else behind them.

Kasumi gazed at the limp figure. Once she recognized who it was she burst into tears.

"No!" Kasumi wailed angrily, tears glimmering in her eyes."This can't be happening!"

Smith smiled an ugly smile. "I'm afraid it is." Then he turned to the other man. "Tom, go get the good doctor."

* * *

_Friday, December 23_

_6:52 P.M._

_Jack's Apartment_

Hayabusa sat and waited for Jack to return from wherever he had went during the day, wanting to discuss a few things with the young detective. Their conversation earlier had ended badly and he needed to make sure that Jack wasn't going to go out and do something stupid.

At around seven o'clock Jack stumbled through his apartment door. He was holding a half empty bottle of sake, and it was immediately clear to Hayabusa that he was drunk.

"What happened to you?" Hayabusa asked.

"It's over. I've let her down and now she's gonna die. It's all my fault." Jack's words ran together slightly.

"Kasumi is going to be fine."

Jack shook his head and pointed a finger at Hayabusa. "No. You don't understand. They won't keep her alive. They have no reason to. I might as well wait for her at the city morgue."

"Jack, sit down. We'll find her."

"You don't care about her. All you want to do is protect the 'Shinobi.'" Jack said using air quotes. "These people are true monsters, and all you're worried about is saving your own a--"

Hayabusa glared at Jack. "I have dealt with true monsters. Fiends, are far worse than these people."

"Ooh, Fiends! Whatever did you do?" Jack said in a sarcastic tone.

"I'm not going to deal with your self pity right now," Hayabusa said coldly as he walked over to the window.

Jack waved his bottle at him. "Go ahead. Disappear. It seems that's what your best at. Leaving when someone needs you to stick around."

Hayabusa turned and pushed Jack up against a wall. "You know _nothing_ about me," he said angrily.

After Hayabusa had left, Jack stuck his head out the window. "Maybe that's 'cuz you never talk," he said angrily. "You're the one who doesn't know anything!"

Jack waited for a reply, but nothing but the cool night breeze answered him. He decided to head over to Myamoto's.

Jack took another gulp of sake. He decided it would probably be better to walk.

Myamoto was watching the news when Jack arrived at his apartment.

"Hey, I found--are you drunk?"

Jack took another swig of liquor and nodded. "I think it'd be fair to say that. Want some?"

"Sake!? How can you stand that stuff?"

"After the first bottle, it doesn't really taste that bad."

Myamoto shook his head. "Not the sauce, Jack. This isn't the time to get drunk."

"I disagree. I think that the death of someone I love means it's the perfect time to get drunk."

"Kasumi isn't dead yet. She'll be all right."

"How do you know that? Even if I could do something, she'd probably hate me for leaving her at the hospital alone that night," Jack said sadly.

"And exactly how is getting smashed going to change things?"

"It won't. But it'll sure as hell make me feel better."

Myamoto glared at Jack angrily. "Kasumi needs you to be there for her. You're the only one trying to take these people down. If you give up now, _you're_ condemning her to certain death. Now get your act together."

Jack sat down on the couch. "I don't know what to do. I can't bear to lose her again."

Myamoto took the sake away from his friend. "Sleep it off. I'll give you some good news in the morning."

Jack sat up straight. "What good news could you possibly have?"

"Come back tomorrow and find out. I'm not telling you until you're sober enough to use the information."

"Whatever." Jack staggered to his feet.

He had let her down. Maybe the first time it wasn't his fault she disappeared, but this time it was. Kasumi would be here right now if he hadn't decided to leave that night. Jack knew that she was most likely dead. He grinned as he thought of what he was going to do when he caught whoever was responsible for this.

"Gimme that," Jack said as he grabbed the bottle back from Myamoto. He took another swig and looked at his friend.

"Ya know, you're place isn't level. It slopes to one side."

Myamoto shook his head. "No, Jack. _You_ slope to one side."

Jack nodded. "I think you're right."

He then collapsed on the floor, passed out.

* * *

_Friday, December 23_

_9:02 P.M._

_Organization Compound 32_

Kasumi snapped awake as another horrible nightmare ended, only to wake up in a worse place. Smith was sitting in a chair with a tape recorder, smiling. "Having trouble sleeping?"

Kasumi glared at him and said nothing. She glanced at the still sleeping form of Ayane across the room. "Let her go. It's me you have a problem with."

Smith shook his head. "You had your chance. Now it's her turn." He got up and walked up to her, holding the tape recorder up close to her ear. "I want you to hear this."

Kasumi listened carefully as Jack's voice poured out of the speaker. He sounded drunk. "--ou don't understand. They won't keep her alive. They have no reason to. I might as well wait for her at the city morgue."

Smith stopped the tape. "I don't need to do anything. As you can see he's already given up on you. He thinks you're already dead."

Kasumi shook her head. "No, Jack will come for me. You'll see. And when he does, you'll be very sorry."

"Oh, really? Well, excuse me if I'm not quaking with fear," Smith said sarcastically.

"You can't make me believe that he doesn't care. He's the only one who's ever cared. He'll be here," Kasumi said confidently.

Smith walked up to Ayane and slapped her across the face. She immediately snapped awake, already struggling to break free.

"Let me go, right now!" she yelled angrily.

Smith grinned. "You're much more aggressive than you're sister."

"Damn straight, now let me go so I can kick your ass!" Ayane stopped struggling and looked at Kasumi. "You! This is you're fault isn't it? I should have known something like this would eventually happen."

"Ayane, it's not my fault--"

Smith interrupted. "I do believe it _is_ you're fault. If you had cooperated earlier she wouldn't be here. Now that you're both awake I'd like to play a little game. I'm going to leave for a while, but don't worry, I'll be back soon."

After he had left the room Kasumi looked sadly at Ayane. "Ayane, I--"

Ayane looked away. "I don't want to hear what you have to say. It's because of you that I'm here now."

"Please, just listen. We have to find a way out of here."

"Look around. Do you see any way out of here? Because if you do I'd like to hear it," Ayane said angrily. "I just hope they leave me alive long enough to watch you die."

As soon as the words left her mouth, Ayane regretted saying them. Kasumi was her sister, and in a way she still slightly cared about her. Ayane closed her eyes and shook away the sad feelings that threatened to enter her thoughts. Now she was going to have to pay for Kasumi's mistakes.

Kasumi was stunned at Ayane's harsh words. She thought of all the happy memories she and Ayane had shared, and it brought tears to her eyes that she could say such a thing.

"Ayane..." Kasumi was at a loss for words.

"Just leave me alone. You've done enough," Ayane said coldly.

Smith walked back into the room dragging a large black box behind him. He stopped and brought two small machines out of the box. "This game is a sort of variation of trading punches. I'll ask a question, and if one of you lie, I'll hurt the other," he looked at Kasumi. "I know I said I wasn't going to ask you anything, but this way it's much funner than what I had planned earlier. I think I'll start with your sister," he said pointing at Ayane.

"Leave her alone!" Kasumi cried.

Smith ignored her as he connected their arms to the small machines. It looked similar to a small CPU. If Ayane was scared, she didn't show it. Smith then wired the machines to a large screen on the wall.

"These little machines are a sort of lie detector. I know that you won't stay calm so they don't rely on pulse like a conventional lie detector. To be honest, I can't tell you how they work, but they're never wrong. Let's start off easy," he walked over to Ayane. "Shall we begin?"


	17. Chapter Sixteen

**DISCLAIMER:** I DO NOT OWN ANY DEAD OR ALIVE CHARACTER. THOSE CHARACTERS BELONG TO TECMO, LTD. AND TEAM NINJA. I AM IN NO WAY INTENDING ANY COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT AND I'M NOT MAKING A PROFIT FROM THE USE OF THESE CHARACTERS. ANY CHARACTER NOT A PART OF DEAD OR ALIVE IS MINE AND MINE ALONE.

**Chapter Sixteen**

_Saturday, December 24_

_9:47 A.M._

_Myamoto's Apartment_

Jack awoke the next morning with a pounding headache. He looked around and noticed that he wasn't in his own apartment. There was an empty bottle on the floor next to him and he smelled like hard liquor. He climbed to his feet and tried to think clearly, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't recall what went down last night.

"You're finally awake."

Jack looked up to see Myamoto walk away from his computer and toward the couch. "What happened?" he asked.

"It's really simple. You got smashed because Kasumi is gone, presumably dead, and then you came over here and passed out," Myamoto held out a glass. "Coffee?"

Jack took off his leather jacket and eagerly grabbed the glass from the hacker's hand and took a big gulp. Surprisingly, it was just as strong as he liked it, which was usually so strong that it could dissolve a nail in two hours.

"I've never met anyone else who made coffee as strong as mine."

Myamoto shrugged. "I'm a hacker, remember? We live off of coffee sometimes."

Jack grinned. "So what are you doing?"

Myamoto looked back at his computer monitor and said, "I think I know where they took Kasumi."

Jack immediately snapped to attention. "Where?! I swear when I get my hands on those freaks--"

"Calm down, man. Just come here and take a look at this."

Jack got off the couch and followed Myamoto back to his computer.

"I knew this was a matter of life or death, so I decided to break out the big guns with this one..."

"Big guns?" Jack said as he took another drink of coffee. "What exactly are the 'big guns?'"

Myamoto grinned. "I used some special software of my own design that can break into almost any program and recreate the code."

"And what does that do?"

"It basically can shut down any secure system. I simply used this program, which I have named 'Thresher,' to break into the government satellite network."

Jack almost spit out his coffee. "You can do that?"

Myamoto nodded and pointed at his screen. "This is footage of the hospital the night Kasumi disappeared. I want to know something before I show you this: Do you know anyone who drives a black Galant?"

Jack shook his head. "No. Why didn't you do this when she was taken the first time?"

"Because I didn't know where she was taken from. It wouldn't have worked anyway because of the thick forest canopy."

Jack nodded. "I understand. Anyway, let's see what you've got."

Myamoto hit a button on the keyboard and Jack saw everything from a bird's eye view. He saw Kasumi leave the hospital, wearing the new clothes he gave her and wielding a pair of crutches. Then she was followed by a large man he had never seen before. He followed Kasumi as she limped toward a black Mitsubishi sedan near the front of the parking lot. When she got to the car, the large man grabbed the crutches and threw them into the front seat. Then he opened the back door and violently threw Kasumi into the car. After that he slammed the door and drove away.

Jack was seething. "Do you have any information on the big guy?"

Myamoto shook his head. "He never looked up, so I couldn't see his face."

"What about a license plate number?"

Myamoto again shook his head. "Nope, sorry."

Jack glared at him. "Well what do you have?"

Myamoto looked back at the computer. "I have this, but you're not going to like it."

* * *

_Saturday, December 24_

_9:51 A.M._

_Organization Compound 32_

Smith had been asking questions, and as he had expected, going nowhere with the responses. He walked up to Kasumi and looked impatiently at Ayane, hoping this round would go better than the last.

"Let's try this one more time, and this time...," he grabbed Kasumi's chin and made her look into her sister's eyes, "...this time I want you to look into her eyes when you answer."

Ayane didn't say a word. She did, however, look at Kasumi, and saw pure anguish and sadness in her sister's eyes. She felt a deep twinge of sorrow in her own soul when she looked at Kasumi. Ayane looked away.

Smith released Kasumi's chin and smiled a sickening smile. "Now, tell me where to find the Shinobi village, or she gets hurt again."

Ayane showed no emotion on her cool exterior, but on the inside she "I've told you before and I will tell you again: I'm not going to answer your ridiculous questions! I don't care what happens!"

Smith's ugly smile vanished instantly and his face quickly became contorted in anger. "Damn you! Don't you care at all?!"

Ayane simply stared at Smith coldly in response.

Smith shook his head and struck Kasumi with a strong blow to the stomach with his elbow.

Kasumi clenched her fists and wailed loudly as the fierce blow connected. She coughed and tried to catch her breath, but the pain seemed to be stealing her air. After a few minutes of gasping and crying, she finally managed to recover. As she slowly recovered her breath, she looked into Ayane's eyes with her own pleading copper ones. Ayane saw, for the first time, Kasumi's hurt, and it was something she never wanted to see again. It shocked her that someone could hold so much pain inside. Kasumi looked away and Smith then calmly walked over to Ayane's side of the room.

"I always enjoy this part more," he said.

"Don't hurt her!" Kasumi yelled. "Please!"

"Tsk, Tsk. Have we forgotten the rules of the game? If you answer truthfully, she won't get hurt. Now, maybe you can tell me about the Shinobi?"

"No..." Kasumi sobbed.

"Tell me!" Smith was sick and tired of hearing the same things over and over again.

Kasumi again looked into Ayane's amber eyes. "I'm....I'm so sorry Ayane."

Smith yelled angrily and brutally hit Ayane in the lower stomach with his knee.

"Ayane!" Kasumi cried.

Ayane gasped for air and tightly squeezed her eyes shut. She would not let him see her cry. After she recovered her breath, Ayane spat in Smith's face. "You're pathetic."

"That is it," Smith said coldly.

He was already seething with rage and now he had been pushed past his limit. He wiped his face, walked over to the control panel Kasumi had seen earlier, and pressed the red button, causing Ayane's frame to slowly rise.

"No! Stop! She didn't mean it!" Kasumi yelled, tears streaming down her face. "Please, turn it off!"

Smith held the button down until he heard Ayane's pained scream over the anguished cries of her sister. Then he returned the machine to it's original position and stormed angrily over to Kasumi.

"If you care about her so much, why don't you tell me the location of the village?"

Kasumi looked sadly at the white tile floor. "I can't..." she sobbed.

Smith shook his head. "I figured as much." Then he walked out of the room and slammed the door.

Kasumi watched out of the big glass window as he walked down to the big room's floor and talked to the English man she had seen earlier.

"Ayane, we will--"

Ayane cut her off. "Save it. We're not getting out of here."

Kasumi shook her head. "You're wrong. Jack will come for us."

Ayane scoffed. "Jack? What can he do? This place is underground. Even if he does find the warehouse, how's he going to get down here? The elevator's hidden, and encoded, and there's no stairs."

Kasumi looked sadly at her sister. "He'll be here. I know he won't give up on me."

Ayane glared at Kasumi. "Whatever. Just don't talk to me."

* * *

_Saturday, December 24_

_9:56 A.M._

_Myamoto's Apartment_

Jack looked at the streaming video showing on Myamoto's screen. "This is it?"

"Just keep watching, Jack."

Jack watched as the black car drove swiftly to the piers. The strange man got out of the car and walked calmly over to the door he had shoved Kasumi into earlier. He opened the door and yanked Kasumi out by her long red hair, then he threw her to the ground. The man attacked but Kasumi held him off, despite her injuries, which impressed Jack greatly. After she dodged an angry and desperate lunge, the man threw dirt in her eyes, causing her to stumble around and cover her face with her hands.

"That bastard cheated!" Jack yelled angrily.

As Kasumi stood blinded and defenseless, he was again filled with the dark anger as he witnessed the brutal beating the man then gave her. The large man threw her against a nearby wall, and nearly strangled her, and Jack could feel Kasumi's despair as she was losing the unfair fight. He became especially angry when he watched how the man had mercilessly stomped on her bad leg, even though she was clearly defeated.

Myamoto was stunned. "Jack, I didn't know...I'm so sorry."

Jack clenched his jaw. "I'm going to kill him.," he said in an icy cold voice.

Myamoto looked at Jack with a surprised expression. He had never, in all the time he had known Jack, heard him use that tone before.

Jack continued to watch as the man kneeled down over her still body, and pulled her head up by her hair. Then he took out a long knife and held it to Kasumi's vulnerable throat.

Jack turned away. "I can't watch this."

"Look! Something stopped him," Myamoto said.

Jack reluctantly turned his eyes back to the screen. The man had just answered his phone. After a few minutes, he hung up and put his knife away. Then he dragged Kasumi's unconscious form back to the car, where he tied her up and again harshly threw her into the back seat. After he had started the car, he drove towards the other side of the warehouse district. He stopped at fourteen, and then....nothing. The screen went blank.

"Hey! Turn that back on," Jack said.

Myamoto shook his head. "That's it. After that, the satellite moved out of the area and by the time I found another one, the black car was already gone. I'm sorry, but there's nothing else I can do."

"Damn it!" Jack yelled angrily.

"She might still be alive, Jack."

"You saw the same things I did. The chances are very small, and you know it."

Myamoto said nothing and the room was filled with a tense silence, which was broken when Jack checked the load on his black 9mm. He made sure there was one in the chamber and the clip was full. He returned the weapon to its holster and put on his jacket.

"Jack, don't do anything stupid."

Jack wiped a tear from his eyes. "Kasumi may be gone, but I'm still here. They're going to pay for this in blood."

"Where are you going?" Myamoto asked.

"Warehouse fourteen."

Jack practically ran all the way back to his apartment and grabbed the keys to the Jeep. Soon, he was on his way to the piers. The town was very busy because it was almost lunch hour, but he didn't care. The longer it took to get there, the more time he would have to think about what he was going to do to this 'Smith' guy.

He thought of Kasumi and all the great times they had together. How many times had her gorgeous smile illuminated his day? How often had her happy laughs brightened his spirits when things weren't going so well? Now she was gone, and nothing he did would change that, but he was going to stop these criminals from doing this to anyone else. He was going to make them pay.

"Smith," Jack said to himself, "you're a dead man."

* * *

_Saturday, December 24_

_12:14 P.M._

_Organization Compound 32_

"I'm going to use it. I'm fed up with their bullshit," Smith said to Thomas.

"Don't you think that's a little extreme?" Thomas asked as he started playing with his zippo. "No one deserves that kind of treatment."

"I don't care. They had they're chance. Now, go get it."

Thomas shook his head and started towards the storage area to retrieve the item. When he got there he picked a medium sized box, and carried it back to the large control room where Smith was waiting. He wouldn't wish this stuff on his worst enemies, but the girls weren't his problem. They could rot for all he cared, he just wanted his money.

Smith looked at the box with satisfaction. "Excellent."

Kasumi looked out of the large window at Smith and the English man, who had just carried a box out of the back room. She hoped Jack would hurry, because she really didn't want to know what was in that box.

She sighed and tried to suppress the pain from the beatings Smith and Bayman had recently given her, but it was too extreme to ignore any longer. She couldn't even breathe regularly without letting out a sharp gasp or a quiet whimper. Her waist ached badly and she was sure it was bruised and bleeding. At least this time, the room was heated.

She looked at Ayane with tearful eyes. "I never meant for this to happen. I'm so sorry."

"Sorry isn't good enough!" Ayane yelled angrily. "Because of your complete stupidity, I have to pay the price."

"It's not like I did this on purpose," Kasumi said sadly, "I can only say sorry so many times, Ayane."

Ayane shot Kasumi a piercing glare. "I never asked for your apologies. I don't like you anymore, Kasumi. In fact, I wish you had never been born."

"But....I...." Kasumi began to cry at her sister's remarkably painful statement. "I don't want you to hate me anymore...." she sobbed. "Why...?"

Ayane sighed and glanced at her sister, who was clearly on the verge of a colossal mental breakdown. There were large tears streaming from her eyes and she looked very hurt inside. "Look, don't cry, okay? I'm--"

Smith returned to the room just as Ayane cut her sentence short, accompanied by the English man. He seemed happy to see that Kasumi was already sobbing, but he had no idea why. But it didn't matter why, as long as she was suffering. "Thomas, put it down over there."

After Thomas put down the box, he turned and faced the girls. "My advice to you is to give him what he wants."

"Thanks, Thomas, you can leave now."

Tom took the hint and walked out of the room, again pulling out his lighter. He didn't want to see this anyway. Just because he didn't care didn't mean that he wanted to see their deaths. After he had left the room he grabbed a nearby walkie-talkie and hailed Bayman, who was watching the place from the roof. He had a feeling this was going to be a busy day.

Kasumi watched as Smith walked over to the box, gleefully cackling in a maniacal way that filled her with panic.

"I'm not even going to bother asking you a question, because I already know what you're going to say," Smith said coldly. "I cannot believe that you have resisted this far, but I promise that after this, you'll be begging to tell me what you know. Too bad I don't care anymore. It's time to die, girls."

Ayane rolled her eyes. "You disgust me. Do you honestly believe that--"

"Silence! I don't want to hear another word out of either one of you. Only screams."

Smith was about to open the box when Thomas came back into the room. "Hey, there's something I think you should know."

Smith groaned. "What is it now?"

"It would probably be better if we stepped outside."

After they had left the room, Smith said, "What is so important that you had to drag me away from my business?"

"Bayman says he spotted a green Jeep driving around a little while ago."

"And why do I care?"

Thomas cleared his throat. "Well, it seems as if the Jeep has stopped outside the warehouse."

Smith quickly walked to one of the surveillance stations and watched as a tall man wearing a black leather jacket and carrying a large black pistol got out of the Jeep.

"This should be interesting," Smith said.

* * *

_Saturday, December 24_

_12:25 P.M._

_Warehouse 14_

Jack stared at the abandoned warehouse with confusion. The place was old and looked like it hadn't been used in years. It didn't look like there was anything significant about it. But it was a great place to hide.

He took out his Beretta and got out of the Jeep. He cautiously proceeded inside the structure and looked around. The place had a cracked concrete floor and brick walls. There wasn't anything that looked out of place, until he looked closer. Jack noticed that there was drag marks in the dust on the floor. But what really bothered him was that the drag marks led directly into the wall. Jack put the gun away and ran toward the wall.

"There has got to be some kind of secret passage here somewhere."

Jack examined the bricks carefully and noticed that one of them was loose. He pressed on it, and it sank into the wall, making a distinct clicking noise. Then the wall slid open and revealed an large metal door with a keypad and a retinal scanner on it. _Bingo, _Jack thought to himself.

However, it was a bittersweet discovery, because he knew that there was no way he was getting through the door. Not today anyway.

Thomas activated his end of the walkie-talkie. "Bayman, I want you to kill the man who was driving the Jeep."

Smith nodded in approval. The last thing he need right now was someone snooping around. Bayman could get rid of this menace quickly and easily.

Kasumi looked out the window. "Why didn't he come back?"

"Does it matter? As long as he's not in here, I don't care where he is," Ayane said.

Kasumi nodded in silent agreement. The air between her and Ayane was tense, and her sister's previous remarks had wounded Kasumi deeply, far deeper than Ayane had realized. She returned her gaze to the window and watched as Smith muttered something to the man named Thomas. Then, to her disappointment, he started up the stairs.

Ayane glanced at her half sister and felt something that must have closely resembled guilt. But she didn't truly regret her words, and she didn't care how badly it had torn into Kasumi's soft heart to hear such things. Or did she? Suddenly everything was so confusing and complicated. She wanted desperately to make Kasumi feel lower than the scum on the bottom of her boots, but at the same time she didn't want to see her get hurt any worse. Why did she feel that way? Was she starting to care, or was it something else?

Jack's search was interrupted by the sound of heavy footprints behind him. He raised his gun and quickly turned around, ready to fire in an instant. He immediately recognized the man from the satellite footage.

"You! I swear I'm going to kill you for what you did."

Bayman looked confused. "Do you know me?"

Jack glared at him angrily. "I saw what you did to Kasumi!"

Bayman wondered how this man could know about that, but he soon remembered that he didn't care. "Well, I hope you enjoyed that show, because you're about to experience the same thing."

Jack laughed. "We'll see about that."

He put away his gun and took a stance. He was going to take this egotistical freak down with his bare hands.

Bayman grunted and came at Jack with a powerful lunge but Jack simply stepped aside and executed a sweeping low kick, making the larger man fall flat on his face.

Bayman was surprised. He had assumed that this man had no fighting skills, or at least none that compared to his. This time he would be more careful. He cautiously threw a hard right but, Jack blocked with his forearm and countered with a wicked left to the stomach. Then he crashed his knee into Bayman's gut.

Bayman took a step back and tried to regain his breath, but Jack knocked him down with a low kick. He quickly climbed to his feet and faked a left, then he landed a mean right to Jack's chest knocking him flat.

The blow just fueled Jack's anger and he quickly hopped to his feet. Then he ran at Bayman, who braced himself against the charge, but Jack's adrenaline was too much to defend against. He knocked him off balance, then Jack pushed Bayman against the wall. After that, he used his knee and hit Bayman in the stomach again. Bayman doubled over and Jack used the opportunity to hit Bayman forcefully in the back of the neck with the butt of his pistol. He was going to shoot Bayman, but at that moment, two or three men came running into the entrance.

"Damn! How many of you guys are there?!"

Jack didn't give them time to answer, because at that moment he raised his Beretta and shot the two men in between the eyes with stunning accuracy. He turned back to Bayman.

"We'll finish this later, I'm sure," Jack muttered coldly.

Jack didn't want to stick around until more reinforcements arrived, so he ran back to his Jeep and started the car. He decided it would be better this way anyway, because there was no need to cause too much trouble until he could get through that door. But when he did, they would all pay. Including Bayman.

He concentrated hard on the mysterious hidden entrance, trying think of some way to get through. But he was out of ideas, unless...

The idea hit Jack like a speeding train. He depressed the pedal of his Jeep to the floor and spun his tires. There were a few things he would need to take care of before it would work, but he would get through that door.


	18. Chapter Seventeen

**DISCLAIMER:** I DO NOT OWN ANY DEAD OR ALIVE CHARACTER. THOSE CHARACTERS BELONG TO TECMO, LTD. AND TEAM NINJA. I AM IN NO WAY INTENDING ANY COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT AND I'M NOT MAKING A PROFIT FROM THE USE OF THESE CHARACTERS. ANY CHARACTER NOT A PART OF DEAD OR ALIVE IS MINE AND MINE ALONE.

**Chapter Seventeen**

_Saturday, December 24_

_12:47 P.M._

_Organization Compound 32_

Smith walked over to the box Thomas had brought in earlier, ready to mercilessly murder the two innocent women in his captivity. Then Thomas again burst into the room.

"Can't you leave me alone for two seconds?!" he yelled angrily.

"Shut your bloody trap and follow me. This is important," Tom said as if he was talking to a spoiled child.

Smith angrily kicked the box towards the corner of the room and reluctantly followed Tom outside, slamming the door behind him with such force that Kasumi jumped.

She looked at Ayane. "Something weird is going on."

Ayane rolled her eyes. "Isn't that kind of obvious?"

"I was just--"

"--pointing out the obvious. Just shut up, Kasumi, before you get us into more trouble," she lashed out.

Kasumi closed her eyes and sighed. "I said I was sorry. What else do you want from me? What did I ever do to you?"

Ayane looked at Kasumi irritably. _She just didn't understand. No one did,_ she thought to herself.

"Please," Kasumi pleaded. "I want to know why you won't forgive me?"

"Never mind," Ayane said.

She was so mixed up inside. Part of her just wanted to give her sister a hug and tell her everything would be okay, the way normal siblings would. But then there was the other part of her that despised Kasumi. When they were kids, it seemed so unimportant that they were treated differently. But as Ayane got older she began to wonder what made Kasumi so much better than her. Why did she have to be raised in secret?

Then Raidou broke Hayate's back, crippling him. Ayane had tried to take Raidou on all by herself, blaming all of her problems on him. But she failed and Hayate tried to defend her, but he had also lost. It was all her fault that his back was broken. But Kasumi had done something so irrational and stupid. She ran away from the village to hunt down and kill Raidou, never able to return again.

At first Ayane was hurt, because Kasumi was very important to her. But then she talked to Master Genra, and he convinced her that Kasumi had betrayed them all and she deserved no mercy for her rash actions, however noble her intents may have been. She was to be killed on sight. Ayane willingly accepted this task, hoping that she could finally be rid of Kasumi.

But now when she gazed upon her sister, she realized that Kasumi had been shattered inside for quite sometime, and her gentle heart was clearly broken. Having the people you love most try to kill you can do that to a person, and Ayane almost felt sorry for her. Almost.

* * *

Smith looked at Bayman with disgust. "You call yourself a professional? What happened?"

Bayman shrugged. "I didn't see it coming. I underestimated him, but I assure you it won't happen again. Now its personal. Whoever he was, he knew what I had done to the girl."

"You mean the redhead?" Smith asked.

Bayman nodded. "Yeah, he said he saw the whole thing, but I don't know how that could be. There was no one else within hundreds of feet of us when I beat her."

Smith turned to Thomas. "Run the license plates on that Jeep. I want to know who the driver is and what his relation to the girl is."

Thomas nodded. "You think this guy might be the 'Jack' the girl's always carrying on about?"

Smith nodded and started back up the stairs, but Thomas grabbed his shoulder.

"I think you shouldn't open the box. I have a better idea."

"I'm not paying you to have ideas. I'm paying you to--"

"Quit your bickering and hear me out."

Smith glared at Tom. "Fine. What is your idea?"

"I think it wouldn't be in your best interest to kill the girls yet. I think you should wait until we know what this Jack guy is doing."

Smith looked puzzled. "Why would it be in my best interests to do that?"

"Because, that way you could use them as a sort of leverage. A kind of backup plan. You see, if you use it now and this guy breaks into our base somehow, there will be nothing to stop him from killing us all, because the girls are both dead and he's already lost everything. But if you show him that the redhead is still alive and that you also have her sister, and make him choose between killing us or saving them..."

Smith nodded. "Of course! You're smarter than you look, Tom."

Thomas nodded towards the window above. "I think you should get on with you're little game, because now we're on a timetable. Have fun, you ugly little bastard."

"Who you calling ugly, you British swine!"

Tom pointed towards his watch. "Time's wasting, Smith. Take out your anger on those two and stop yelling at me."

Smith nodded a silent agreement and started back up the stairs.

* * *

_Saturday, December 24_

_1:18 P.M._

_Jack's Apartment_

Jack quickly walked back into his apartment and ran back towards his bedroom. He reached into an olive drab army surplus ammo case and reloaded his black 9mm pistol. Then he started back out of the room to make some lunch and finish formulating his plan. At that moment, he suddenly remembered his laptop computer. He would need it if his idea was going to work at all, so he grabbed from its hiding place under his bedroom floor and walked back into the kitchen. He set the computer down on the table and opened his fridge to make a sandwich. The strawberry millefeuille was sitting on the top shelf, as fresh as ever. The sight of the cake stirred up a jumble of emotions inside him. He was devastated, depressed, angered, and lonely.

When he closed the fridge, Hayabusa was standing in the living room.

"What are you doing?" he asked calmly.

"I'm making lunch. What's it look like I'm doing?"

Hayabusa glared at Jack.

"You want something? I have plenty of food to go around. I was going to make something special for Kasumi, but seeing as how she's dead, I guess you can eat it."

"No thanks."

Jack shrugged. "Whatever. Actually, I was kind of hoping you'd stop by. I need you to help me with something."

"What about what you said last night?"

Jack looked confused. "Last night? Man, I was so drunk last night I didn't even know what year it was. If I pissed you off, deal with it. Are you going to help me or not?"

Hayabusa shrugged. "What do you need?"

Jack grinned. "I'll tell you on the way to Myamoto's."

As soon as they were in the Jeep, Jack told Hayabusa the plan. The plan was to get Myamoto to break into the warehouse's system so that Jack could get inside. He would need to use the laptop because of it's high versatility and wireless Internet capabilities.

"Why do you need me to do this?" Hayabusa asked. "It sounds like you've already got everything figured out."

"Because there might be a lot more people in there than I expect and I might need some backup. However, I'm assuming that you know how to use that sword that you always carry around."

"Of course I know how to use it," Hayabusa said, slightly irritated.

Jack nodded. "Okay then, so will you help out?"

Hayabusa nodded. He needed to protect the Shinobi and this seemed to be the best way to do just that.

Within five minutes, they arrived at Myamoto's. Jack knocked loudly on the door.

Myamoto walked to the door and was about to let Jack inside, when he saw the strange man behind him.

"Who's that?" he asked suspiciously.

Jack looked at Hayabusa. "Him? Don't worry, he won't do anything."

Myamoto let them both inside and as soon as he saw the sword Hayabusa was carrying, he went crazy.

"Th-that's the Dragon Sword! Who the hell are you?" he asked excitedly.

"What the heck is a Dragon Sword, and why is that so important?" Jack asked.

Myamoto sighed. "Don't you ever pay attention to me?"

Jack grinned shook his head. "Not really."

"The Dragon Sword is a legendary weapon passed down by the lost tribe of Dragon Ninjas. No one knows where the sword vanished to, until now that is."

"You're friend is very strange," Hayabusa said to Jack.

"You don't have to tell me that."

Myamoto glared at Jack. Then he held out his hand to Hayabusa. "My name is Myamoto."

"I know," Hayabusa said simply, then he sat down on the couch.

Myamoto whispered to Jack, "What's his problem?"

Jack looked at Myamoto. "He's a Shinobi."

Myamoto turned very pale. "Shinobi?! Holy sh--"

"I'm not a Shinobi, okay? I'm just a curio shop owner."

"Sure you are," Jack said sarcastically.

"I am," Hayabusa said diligently.

Jack ignored him and handed Myamoto his laptop. "I have a favor to ask."

Myamoto looked curiously at the laptop, then at Jack. "What do you need?"

Jack grinned. "I found something at warehouse fourteen. There's a secret door with a retinal scanner and a keypad. I need you to come with us so we can get inside."

Myamoto looked at Jack. "Are you serious? Do you have any idea how hard it is to get past a retinal scanner?"

Jack nodded. "I'm not trying to get _past_ it. I just want to get _around_ it."

Myamoto looked confused, but he agreed to come anyway. "I'll do it, but I'll need a computer."

"Done," Jack said as he handed Myamoto his laptop.

Myamoto took the small computer and laughed. "You expect me to get past a retinal scanner with _your_ computer?"

Jack glared at him. "What's wrong with my computer?"

"Let's face it Jack. You might be one of the best detectives I know, but in the computer department you are lacking in skills. I'll have to make some preparations to the laptop before I can really use it."

"What kind of preparations?"

Myamoto powered up the laptop. "Well, your WiFi card is very impressive, but your processor isn't powerful enough to quickly get into a system and get out without being detected."

Jack sighed. "That's the best processor on the market. What do you mean its not good enough?"

"It's the best you can buy, legally speaking. I have something to put in here that will speed up your system tenfold. Plus, I need to install my thresher program. On top of that I need to make a keypad interface for the door."

Jack nodded. "Well we can't leave until late tonight, anyway. Do you think you can get it done by then?"

Myamoto nodded. "Yeah. If I work nonstop, I should be able to get it done at around midnight."

"Perfect," Jack said as he glanced at the clock. It read one-thirty-five.

He wondered about Kasumi, and if she had died quickly and painlessly. He hoped she had, but knowing these people...

"Hayabusa, we need to work on our plan of attack while Myamoto is working on the computer."

Hayabusa nodded. "Good idea."

* * *

_Saturday, December 24_

_1:42 P.M._

_Organization Compound 32_

Smith walked up to Kasumi and faced Ayane. "Tell me where to find the village, NOW! Or do you want me to hurt her? Because I will."

Ayane looked regretfully at Kasumi, who's eyes were glistening with tears of torment, both emotional and physical. She didn't want to see anything else happen to her. No one deserved this, not even Kasumi. But she had no choice. "I won't say anything."

Smith was angry, but he saw something different in Ayane's eyes this time. He wasn't sure what it was, but he knew he was finally getting to her. She was finally starting to regret her actions, which meant that he might be able to crack her.

He walked back over to the console and pressed the red button for Kasumi's frame, making it slowly pull her arms towards the ceiling, stretching them past their limitations. Kasumi let out a long, mournful cry of anguish, begging for Smith to stop, but the frame continued its ascend. Only when Kasumi was unable to stop screaming from the excruciating pain, did Smith stop the frame.

But this time, instead of lowering the machine, he grabbed a clear pointed plastic stick and walked over to Kasumi, who was weeping uncontrollably and struggling to catch her breath. She was filled with fear at the look in Smith's eyes. "Don't...." she sobbed.

He ignored Kasumi's weak pleas, and faced Ayane. "I'll give you one more chance to answer."

Ayane swallowed hard and closed her eyes. She didn't want to see it anymore.

"No. I can't," she said.

Smith laughed at the response he got. Then he smacked Kasumi's sore hip as hard as he could with the plastic rod, leaving a large bruise.

Kasumi wailed loudly as the powerful impact connected with her already stressed and swollen joint. Smith laughed and then jabbed the point of the stick into her hip, making her cry out in agony, hot tears flowing down her face. Smith then walked back to the machine and replaced it to its original position. She gasped loudly as the weight of her body was again placed on her sore leg. She slouched weakly against the stretcher, powerless to stop herself from crying.

Smith then walked over to Ayane and looked at Kasumi. "Now it's your turn."

"Please....leave her....alone," Kasumi sobbed gloomily.

Smith laughed again. "Where is the village?"

Kasumi shook her head sadly. "Ayane....I...."

Smith took the rod and smacked Ayane hard across the face, leaving a thin trail of blood behind. Ayane managed to hold back her tears once again, but she couldn't help but gasp. However, Smith wasn't satisfied. He took the stick and brutally brought it down upon her waist with a loud "smack," leaving another bruise and tearing her clothes. Ayane yelled loudly, but she still didn't cry.

"Stop! Leave her alone!" Kasumi cried as Smith raised the stick to hit her once again.

Just at that moment, Thomas came back into the room. "I have the information you requested earlier."

Smith nodded and again left the two girls by themselves.

As soon as Smith was gone, Ayane finally let her tears fall, incapable of holding back her pain any longer. She sobbed quietly as the stinging on her face and abdomen continued to worsen. The tears caused the small cut on her cheek to burn, which only made her want to cry more.

Kasumi was surprised at this display of emotion. She had never seen Ayane cry like this before and she didn't know how to react.

"We're going to die here, aren't we?" Ayane said, after regaining some control over her emotions.

Kasumi shook her head. "Jack is coming. Maybe that's what the big deal with Smith is right now."

"Will you give it up already?!" Ayane said, annoyed. "He's not going to rescue us."

"You're wrong, Ayane. He can make it. I know he can."

Ayane sighed and tried to blink away her tears before Smith returned. "I hope you're right."

* * *

Thomas and Smith walked over to a nearby computer console and looked at the screen.

"You were right," Thomas said simply.

Smith looked at the information on the screen. "Jack Wallace, huh? I wonder what he has to do with the girl?"

Thomas toyed with his lighter. "It seems that he and the girl are best friends, if not more than that."

Smith looked at Thomas curiously. "How did you determine that?"

Thomas shrugged. "I have a lot of resources, Smith. It turns out that they have been seen together on several occasions in the park, at restaurants, in theaters, at the mall, and various other locations. They appear to love each other very much."

Smith nodded. "Then you were right about waiting to use the box. The girl will provide an excellent escape plan."

"Told you so," Thomas said. "I'll tell you if anything else comes up."

"Excellent work, Tom." Smith walked back up the stairs.

* * *

_Saturday, December 24_

_1:59 P.M._

_Myamoto's Apartment_

"Okay we'll try this one more time," Jack said irritably. "What is the first thing you do when we go inside?"

Myamoto stopped working for a second and paused to answer Jack's question. "I know you want me to wait in the warehouse, but you might need me to unlock something else inside."

Hayabusa looked at Jack. "He's right you know. There will probably be more than one security door."

Jack nodded. "I guess so. But he's going to need a weapon. Just in case."

Myamoto suddenly became very interested. "What kind of weapon did you have in mind?"

"Something simple, but dangerous," Jack thought a moment, then snapped his fingers. "I have something you can use back at the apartment. I'll be right back."

Jack drove quickly back to his apartment building and was greeted with a surprising sight when he arrived.

As he got out of his Jeep a man wearing a white ninja uniform and a sword stepped up behind him. He had dark eyes and shoulder length dark red hair.

"Not another one," Jack groaned.

"Are you the one they call Jack Wallace?" he asked.

"Who wants to know?" Jack asked defensively.

"It's important that you tell me your name. I won't ask again."

Jack didn't have time to start another round of trouble so he nodded. "Yeah I'm Jack."

"Where is Hayabusa?"

That question really caught Jack's attention. "Hayabusa? How do you know about Hayabusa?"

The man nodded. He had indeed found who he was looking for. "Just tell me where he is and I'll leave you alone."

"Let me go get something real quick and I'll take you to him," Jack said as she started towards his building.

This was getting stranger and stranger. Now there were two of them? But there was something different about this new guy. Hayabusa's outfit was black and his was white. On top of that, this new guy looked oddly familiar somehow, but he couldn't place a finger on where he had seen him before.

Jack retrieved the eight gauge shotgun he was going to let Myamoto borrow and then he walked out to his Jeep, where the stranger had already climbed into the passenger's seat.

Jack started the Jeep and drove to Myamoto's. The ride was extremely tense, an neither one of the two men said a word throughout the entire trip.

Jack walked into Myamoto's apartment with the new guy following close behind.

Hayabusa looked up and quickly spotted his friend. "Hayate, what are you doing here?"

Myamoto freaked out. "Hayate!"

He ran to his desk and flipped through a large stack of papers. Then he grabbed on and quickly walked up to Jack.

"What's this?" Jack asked.

"This is a file on a man named Hayate. Look at the picture!" Myamoto whispered excitedly, making sure the two ninjas couldn't hear him.

Jack looked at the photo, then towards the man who was now talking to Hayabusa. "No way."

Myamoto practically started jumping up and down. "A real Shinobi ninja! I can't believe it! Where do you find these people?!"

Jack shrugged. "I guess I'm a regular Shinobi magnet. Now pipe down before you get us in trouble."

Hayate paid no attention to Jack and Myamoto and looked at Hayabusa. "Ryu, We need to talk in private."

Hayabusa nodded and they walked over to the far corner of the room, away from Jack and Myamoto.

"I have some bad news. Ayane is missing."

"Missing?" Hayabusa asked. "When?"

"We think she was taken about two days ago. I found this along the road to town."

Hayabusa took the dart from Hayate. "Do you think these are the same people who took Kasumi?

Hayate nodded. "Yes, that's exactly what I think," he looked at Jack, who was currently talking to Myamoto about something, "Has he found her yet?"

Hayabusa sighed. "He found her, but she was abducted from the hospital recently. We believe she may be dead."

The news hit Hayate hard. "Dead?"

"There's no proof, but that's what it looks like. I'm sorry, Hayate. We're planning an operation to take these guys down as we speak."

Hayate nodded. "I'm sure that the same people who killed Kasumi are the ones who took Ayane. Let me help you."

Hayabusa shook his head. "That's not a good idea. If you stick around, Jack will probably figure out Kasumi's a runaway Shinobi."

"That's a risk I'm going to have to take. Ayane's life depends on it."

Hayabusa nodded. He understood where Hayate was coming from. Ayane was the only family he had left. "I'll do my best to keep him from finding anything out, but what happens to him if he does figure it out?"

Hayate sighed. "Then I'll have no choice but to eliminate him."


	19. Chapter Eighteen

**DISCLAIMER:** I DO NOT OWN ANY DEAD OR ALIVE CHARACTER. THOSE CHARACTERS BELONG TO TECMO, LTD. AND TEAM NINJA. I AM IN NO WAY INTENDING ANY COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT AND I'M NOT MAKING A PROFIT FROM THE USE OF THESE CHARACTERS. ANY CHARACTER NOT A PART OF DEAD OR ALIVE IS MINE AND MINE ALONE.

**Chapter Eighteen**

_Saturday, December 24_

_4:34 P.M._

_Organization Compound 32_

Smith pounded the wall with his fist in frustration, causing both the girls to jump. They had never seen him this angry before and they didn't know what he was going to do next. Smith turned around and faced Kasumi, rage burning hot in his eyes. He grabbed a handful of spiked rings out of a small plastic box on the control panel. After he had put the needle sharp rings on, he walked up to Kasumi. She struggled against her restraints.

"No!" she cried.

Smith narrowed his eyes. "It was your sister's choice. You know the rules."

Ayane shut her eyes. She couldn't watch any more. She heard Smith's angry yell and Kasumi's anguished scream, but it came from someplace far away.

Smith had jammed his ring-bearing knuckles into Kasumi's shoulder wound, causing it to start bleeding again. She sobbed loudly as he slammed his palm down on the freshly re-opened bullet wound.

Ayane opened her eyes and was alarmed at the blood on Kasumi's shoulder. _It's all my fault._

Smith waited for Kasumi to quit crying and catch her breath, before asking her a question.

"Where is the village?!" he yelled.

Kasumi winced. "I...can't."

Smith grabbed her chin and forcefully made her look at Ayane, like he had done earlier. "Look at her. Do you really want me to hurt her again?"

Kasumi gazed at Ayane's face. Her features were calm and composed and her face showed no sign of fear. But when she gazed into her sister's amber eyes, Kasumi saw worry and pain.

"Now answer me."

Kasumi shook her head away from Smith's hand and looked down at the floor. She wanted to take Ayane out of this, but she was powerless to do anything.

"I'll never talk, monster."

Smith slapped her hard across the face, making her cry out once again. Then he walked over to Ayane. She braced herself and waited for the pain she knew was coming. Smith struck her hard in the stomach, his rings cutting into her skin. She screamed loudly, and Smith watched in satisfaction as the red splotch on Ayane's shirt continued to get bigger and darker. He then slammed his palm into the center of the stain, just as he had done with Kasumi.

Ayane struggled for air as the blow knocked the wind out of her. She tried to hold back her tears the best she could, but a single drop escaped and slowly glided down her cheek. Smith laughed loudly when he saw Ayane's tear. He had finally done it. He had made her cry.

"Are you happy now?" Ayane sniffled as another tear slid down her cheek.

Smith continued laughing and again punched her in the stomach, just to see her cry.

"Stop!" Kasumi sobbed. "Don't hurt her anymore!"

Smith turned away from the crying Ayane and faced Kasumi, a dark smile still on his face, then he faced Ayane again.

"Maybe you could tell me where the village is now?" he asked in mock politeness.

Ayane shook her head. "Screw you. I'll never say anything."

Smith shook his head. "That's not the answer I was looking for."

He walked back to where Kasumi was and pressed a green button on the top of her frame. Kasumi screamed loudly as the electricity pumped through her. After about five seconds of this, Smith pressed a yellow button, shutting the electricity off.

Ayane watched in horror as Smith again hit the green button. "No..." she whispered sadly.

Soon, Smith hit the yellow button again and Kasumi went limp against the stretcher, passed out.

Just then Thomas again came into the room. "What's going on in here?

"You don't want to know. What do you want?"

"Come with me," Thomas said as he walked out of the door. Smith followed close behind and closed the door.

"Kasumi?" Ayane asked quietly. She gazed at her sister.

Kasumi slouched in the frame and never stirred. Ayane noticed the visible burn marks on her wrists and ankles. _The cuffs must be wired, _she thought.

"Wake up!" Ayane yelled, but it was no use.

* * *

_Saturday, December 24_

_4:41 P.M._

_Myamoto's Apartment_

Jack looked at the man named Hayate suspiciously. _What did the Shinobi want with Kasumi? And what does it matter now that she's dead? Or maybe it isn't Kasumi they're concerned about. Maybe this 'Smith' is the one they're after._

Jack's thoughts were interrupted by Myamoto. "Hey, where is the weapon you said you brought me?"

"I'll show you when you get done working on my computer."

Myamoto looked disappointed, but he turned back to the laptop and continued working.

Jack climbed to his feet and walked into the kitchen for another cup of coffee. He took a large drink and continued his previous train of thought. _If the Shinobi are really after the 'Smith' guy, then that would mean that' Smith' had some leverage. What kind of leverage would he have? And why would he want to pick a fight with the Shinobi in the first pace?_

He was again interrupted as Hayabusa walked into the kitchen. "Jack, I've been thinking and something in your plan is bothering me."

Jack took another drink. "What is it?"

"Well, if the entrance that we are breaking into is the only entrance , there would be some kind of surveillance system set up, right?"

Jack nodded. "Where are you going with this, Hayabusa?"

"I was just wondering what you were planning on doing when you see that they're ready for you."

Jack thought about this for a second. "Well, I guess I'll find the cameras and try to shoot them out before they see us."

"And if you miss one?"

Jack sighed. "If I miss one we'll all be in deep shit, okay? Just trust me. I know what I'm doing. I used to be a private investigator. I think I know how to break and enter."

Hayabusa shook his head and walked back into the living room. Jack followed and took a seat on the couch. He looked at Hayate who was watching Myamoto.

"Hey, you never told me what you're doing here. I'd like to know who I'm working with."

Hayate looked at him. "I'm sure you would."

Jack waited for him to continue, but Hayate started watching Myamoto again.

"C'mon, at least tell my what this 'Smith' did to make you go after him?"

Hayate sighed irritably. "You first." He already knew the answer, but Hayate wanted to hear how much Jack had cared for his sister.

"He killed Kasumi. The one person who means everything to me is gone because of that son of a bitch, and I'm going to kill him for it. You probably didn't know her, but Kasumi was so kind and innocent. I don't know why anyone would want to torture her, but I'm going to make him feel the same things that he made my best friend feel."

Hayate expected to hear something along those lines, but Hayabusa had just told him that Jack was a close friend of Kasumi. But it seemed like she meant more to him than that. "I want Smith because it is in my best interests to get rid of him."

Jack got up. "Well, you can forget about killing him. He's mine."

"It doesn't matter to me. As long as he's dead."

Jack was still curious about the exact reasons for Hayate's presence. The guy was obviously dancing around the issue, which told Jack's instincts as an investigator that Hayate had something to hide. He was going to check into this further. "Hey, Hayabusa, I need to ask you something," Jack glanced at Hayate. "Alone."

Hayabusa nodded and they returned to the kitchen.

"What is Hayate doing here?"

Hayabusa knew exactly where this would lead. "Leave it alone, Jack. It's for your own good."

Jack shook his head. "I don't care anymore. Just spill it."

"Sorry, Jack, but some secrets need to be kept." Hayabusa walked back into the living room.

Jack refilled his cup of coffee. "_Some secrets need to be kept," _he muttered mockingly. This was going to be a long day.

* * *

_Saturday, December 24_

_4:51 P.M._

_Organization Compound 32_

"Well, its not going as quickly as expected," Smith said nervously into the receiver.

"What do you know at this point?" the distorted voice on the other end of the line asked.

"Nothing. But--"

"Nothing! Why did I even bother hiring you?!" the voice yelled angrily.

Smith flinched. "I'm so close, though."

"You had better know something by the time I arrive in Tokyo, or you'll be _very_ sorry." There was a sharp click as the man hung up.

Smith slammed the receiver angrily onto the hook.

"That bad, eh?" Thomas asked.

Smith shook his head. "We have to hurry, before he comes here and kills all of us."

Thomas nodded towards the room. "Then go get the info."

Smith stormed into the room. Kasumi was still passed out and Ayane's face was still wet with tears. He needed to step it up a notch. "Forget this stupid game. I'm just going to keep hurting people 'til I get what I want! You hear me!?"

Ayane didn't move a muscle. She looked at Smith and saw something besides anger in his expression. "You're afraid of something."

Smith punched her in the stomach, where her still fresh wounds were located. Ayane coughed loudly as her breath escaped her.

"I fear no one," Smith said coldly.

Ayane didn't shut up, seeing that she had clearly found a tender spot. "Yeah, I can see it in your beady little eyes. Your scared and I--"

"Shut up, you little bitch!" Smith yelled.

He wrapped his fingers around her throat and slowly squeezed. Then he took his free hand and pounded her as hard as he could three or four times. Ayane struggled desperately to breathe as Smith continued to smash his fist into her belly, but she didn't yell like Kasumi had done earlier.

Smith wanted to make her scream, so he grabbed his hunting knife and pressed the point against Ayane's bruisedwaist, drawing a tiny amount of blood. He was seriously thinking about gutting her like a fish.

Ayane saw that Smith was ready to kill her, and she became very afraid, despite her best efforts to stay emotionless. She wasn't ready to die yet. There were so many things she wanted to do. On the outside, she hid her fear well, except for in her amber eyes.

Smith was just about to jam the sharp blade into her skin, when he noticed that Ayane was terrified. "Now who's afraid, huh?"

He released her throat, and Ayane's knees went weak as Smith put away the knife. Tears began to build in her eyes, but she closed them before any of them could escape her grasp. Smith enjoyed seeing her fear, but it was not enough. He walked over to the control panel and looked through the variety of buttons available to him, but none of them seemed to be appropriate for the magnitude of pain he wanted to unleash on Ayane. Finally, he decided that quantity would have to be more than quality.

Ayane opened her watering eyes just in time to see Smith pick up the plastic rod and slip on a few rings.

She shook her head as he approached her. "You have no honor."

Smith nodded. "I know. If you tell me where the village is, I won't hurt you as badly as I want to."

Ayane kept silent.

Smith howled angrily and punched Ayane in the face, cutting her lower lip and causing her to yelp in pain. Then he used the plastic rod to beat her mercilessly. Ayane held back her cries and tears as best she could, but after only a few blows, she broke down and began to cry, unable to control herself.

Smith paused. "I will keep doing this until you give me an answer. So just let me know when you want me to stop whipping you."

"Can't....breathe...." Ayane sobbed.

A few hours later, Kasumi groggily moved her head, but there was a kink in her neck causing her to gasp. Smith stopped working on Ayane when he heard this slight noise. He quietly walked over to Kasumi, grabbed her hair, and jerked her head up to face him. She clenched her fists and let out a sharp cry as the intense pain in her neck increased dramatically.

"Well, well. I see you're finally awake. I guess I can start on you now. Your sister probably needs a break anyway."

Kasumi looked at Ayane for the first time and noticed that her bottom lip was bloody and her hands and ankles were burned, just like her own. There was a bruise an her arm in the shape of Smith's fingers, and the stain in her shirt seemed slightly bigger. She was passed out and lay loosely in her bonds. Her face was still wet with fresh tears, and Kasumi couldn't help but feel responsible for her sister's pain.

"What did you do to her?" Kasumi sobbed.

"The same thing I'm about to do to you if you don't tell me where to find the village."

Kasumi closed her eyes as even more tears rolled down her face. "Please....don't hurt me anymore...."

Smith shook his head and slapped Kasumi across the face. Then he hit the green button on the frame. She screamed loudly in horrible agony, and then Smith hit the yellow button.

"You know the beauty of this electrical device? It's specifically designed to avoid any major organs. The current just passes through your wrists and ankles. I could hit this green button all day long and it wouldn't kill you. So tell me where to find your home and I won't have to do that."

"No!" Kasumi sobbed.

Smith laughed. "Are you really so foolish as to think I will just give up? After all the work I've put in?"

Kasumi just continued crying until Smith hit the green button again. He drowned out the girl's anguished screams and thought about what would happen if he didn't get the information by the deadline.

Kasumi went limp as Smith hit the yellow button again, not even having enough strength to hold her head up. Instead of hitting the green button again, Smith used his knee to hit her in the hip. Then he threw a strong right punch and pounded her in her wounded shoulder.

"Stop!"she screamed. "It hurts!"

Smith smiled. "You know, maybe I should make your sister watch this. Just for the hell of it. What do you say?"

"Please....no....more...." Kasumi whimpered weakly.

Smith looked at Ayane's limp body and shook his head. "I think I'll just let her sleep anyway. She obviously doesn't care about you."

He grabbed Kasumi and punched her again, making her cough and cry out in pain. While she was panting and struggling for air, he hit the green button. Smith let the electricity pump through her until he was sure she was unconscious. Then he reached for the smelling salts...

* * *

_Saturday, December 24_

_6:50 P.M._

_Location Unknown_

Smith was going far too slow for his liking. He picked up a poster for the last DOA tournament that he had found. It was about time someone started a DOA4. Then he reached for the phone and dialed a special number. If he could get the ball rolling on Dead or Alive 4, then he could get the information he wanted for himself.

"You know what they say," he muttered, "If you want something done right, do it yourself."

Donovan had been a baffoon, just like Fame Douglas had been. It was time someone did something right around here, and he was planning on being that someone.

* * *

_Sunday, December 25_

_12:01 A.M._

_Myamoto's Apartment_

The hours passed slowly, but eventually, the clock struck twelve and Myamoto had completed his work on Jack's computer.

"Finally, I thought you'd never get done," Jack said.

"Okay, so now what?" Myamoto asked.

"Empty all your pockets of any loose change or keys, and follow me. We want to be as quiet as humanly possible."

Hayabusa and Hayate didn't need to empty their pockets because obviously they had no change or keys, but Jack and Myamoto did. Jack grabbed his keys and walked out to the Jeep followed by the others. He planned on leaving his keys in the Jeep.

"So where's my weapon?" Myamoto asked.

"It's in the back. Be careful with it."

Myamoto grabbed the shotgun excitedly. "Cool! This rocks, Jack. It's just like an action movie or something."

Jack hadn't really thought about it. "Yeah, I guess so. But be careful. This isn't scripted. We'll have enough trouble without having you shoot off your foot or something."

Jack drove with the lights off and soon the arrived at the warehouse. He attached the silencer he had found when he went to get the shotgun for Myamoto. He had gotten the silencer when he was an investigator, and hadn't used it since. But now he was very happy he had gotten it. After he had finished twisting it on, he checked his ammo supply. He had four 10 round magazines plus the one currently in the gun. He turned to everyone else.

"Stay here until I secure the area," Jack whispered.

Myamoto stared at his pistol. "What kind of gun is that?"

Jack looked at his pistol. "It's a Beretta. What does that have to do with anything?"

Myamoto shrugged. "I was just curious."

Jack rolled his eyes and quietly got out of the Jeep. He made sure not to shut his door, because the noise might draw attention. He had learned many things as an investigator. Now it was time to put them to use.

He scaled the front wall of the warehouse slowly, taking out the closest streetlight with ease, bathing the area in total darkness. Soon, Jack arrived at the main entrance and he quickly spotted a small security camera above the big door, scanning back and forth. He waited until it faced his direction then he destroyed it with a single precision shot through the lens, showering sparks down over him. He then quietly peeked through the crack at the bottom of the warehouse door. There were no guards inside the old building, but all of the lights were on anyway. Jack swore under his breath and opened the door slightly. He soon found what he was looking for. There was a camera on the inside of the door frame, and he took it out as well. Then he shot every one of the three bright lights on the warehouse roof, making it just as dark inside as it was outside. Jack quietly walked inside and slowly closed the door behind him. There were no more red blinking lights to indicate the presence of a camera. He let out a relieved sigh and walked back out to the Jeep.

"Okay everyone. I've taken care of any cameras that may have been a threat. Let's go," Jack whispered.

Myamoto grabbed the laptop and the shotgun, then he climbed out of the back of the Jeep. Hayate followed and Hayabusa got out of the passenger's door. After everyone was inside, Jack activated the secret door like he had done earlier.

Myamoto powered up the small computer. "Okay, this might take a few seconds."

Jack nodded. His plan was for Myamoto to break into their security system and make an entry for him. That way, Jack could just open the scanner himself, instead of having Myamoto try to hack his way past it.

Hayabusa thought about Ayane. _She's missing. I hope she hasn't suffered the same fate as her sister._

* * *

_Sunday, December 25_

_12:10 A.M._

_Organization Compound 32_

Thomas entered the room just in time to see Smith hit the yellow button on Kasumi's frame, and she slouched limply in her restraints once again. Thomas noticed that there were many dark bruises on her arms and her nose was bleeding. Instead of reaching for the smelling salts as he had done before, Smith faced Thomas.

"What do you want now?"

Thomas grinned. "He's back. I haven't really seen him, but the cameras watching the entrance of the warehouse just went blank."

Smith smiled. "It's about time! Go tell your men to take their positions and I'll prepare the girls."

Thomas nodded and started talking into his hand held radio.

Smith waited until Tom had left, then he opened the box in the corner of the room. He slowly pulled out two IV bags filled with a luminescent red liquid. Every time he saw this stuff, he always thought of lava. He hung the bags on a hook near the top of the girls' frames. Then he connected them to their arms.

"Wake up!" he yelled loudly, but neither one stirred.

He walked over to Ayane and hit her as hard as he could with the plastic rod he had used earlier. She yelled loudly as she snapped awake, her eyes watering. Then he walked up to Kasumi, and slapped her as hard as he could in the hip. Kasumi let out an agonized squeal, tears streaming down her face.

"Now that your both awake, I'll tell you what these bags of red stuff are. They are a drug, an a very powerful one at that. I won't tell you what they do, because you will know soon enough."

Smith grabbed a small black remote and shut off all the lights. Then he walked out of the room locking the door behind him.

Kasumi looked out of the window as Smith turned of all the lights in the larger room, leaving the small room glowing red from the IV bags.

Kasumi noticed that there was a small electronic valve preventing the fluid from entering her system. "Ayane, I'm scared. What's going to happen?"

"I don't know," Ayane said quietly.

She was scared too, but she would never let Kasumi or anyone else see it. Her wrists and ankles hurt from the burns the electricity had given her, but she had a feeling it was all going to end soon.

Kasumi closed her eyes against the tears. She knew something was going to happen. She knew it probably had to do with Jack, and she was worried. She was worried because it was obvious they knew he was coming. And they would be ready for him.


	20. Chapter Nineteen

**DISCLAIMER:** I DO NOT OWN ANY DEAD OR ALIVE CHARACTER. THOSE CHARACTERS BELONG TO TECMO, LTD. AND TEAM NINJA. I AM IN NO WAY INTENDING ANY COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT AND I'M NOT MAKING A PROFIT FROM THE USE OF THESE CHARACTERS. ANY CHARACTER NOT A PART OF DEAD OR ALIVE IS MINE AND MINE ALONE.

**Chapter Nineteen**

_Sunday, December 25_

_12:13 P.M._

_Organization Compound 32_

"Watch your back. Jack's here," Thomas said over the radio.

"He is? Don't worry. I'll take him out," Bayman replied.

He was on the roof of the warehouse. He noticed now that the front of the building was unusually dark. It seemed Jack knew what he was doing. He climbed down the ladder leaning against the back of the building and walked around front, popping his knuckles.

* * *

"There! It's done, Jack. Give it a try."

Jack nodded and looked into the retinal scanner. There was a slight whirring noise and then...CLICK!

"Okay, you only unlocked the first lock. The keypad controls the second one." Myamoto quietly attached the keypad interface he had made earlier. "This should only take about a minute."

"Back so soon?"

Jack turned around, as did Hayabusa and Hayate. They quickly took out their swords and Jack aimed carefully at Bayman.

Bayman threw up his hands. "Hey, I'm unarmed. You wouldn't shoot an unarmed man, would you?"

Jack uncocked his pistol and returned in quietly to its holster. "I'm tempted, but I don't want to waste any bullets. Besides, I'm not a coward like you."

Bayman laughed. "A coward? Me?"

"Yeah, you. I wouldn't throw dirt in an opponent's eyes if I was losing. You knew Kasumi was beating you even though she was injured, but you couldn't take that like a real man. You had to cheat."

Bayman lunged at Jack angrily, who easily sidestepped like he had done earlier.

"You should really consider trying something new. You're far too predictable," Jack said with a grin.

Bayman climbed to his feet and threw a punch at Jack, but he blocked and countered with one of his hardest right hooks. Bayman caught the blow in the chest leaving him sputtering around until he caught his breath. Then Hayate stepped in with a high kick to the back of Bayman's head, knocking him to the ground. Hayabusa stepped forward with his sword ready, but he didn't attack.

Bayman climbed to his feet and held up his hands. "I'm through with this. If you let me leave now, I swear you'll never see me again."

Jack shook his head and got out his gun. He pointed it at Bayman's head, but Hayabusa hit his arm with the flat edge of his sword, making him drop the weapon.

Bayman took this opportunity to run outside.

Jack glared angrily at Hayabusa. "Who's side are you on here?!"

Hayabusa returned Jack's glare. "What would Kasumi have said if she had just seen that?"

Jack sighed. "You don't know what he did to her, Hayabusa."

"What's done is done, Jack. No matter how many people you kill, it won't bring her back. I know how it feels to lose someone and I also know that nothing you do will bring her back."

"Then why are you here?"

Hayabusa thought of the small Shinobi village in the mountains. "Consider it a preventative measure."

Jack was just about to ask what he meant, when Myamoto chimed in. "It's unlocked, guys."

Jack angrily snatched his gun off the floor. "If you _ever _interfere like that again...."

Hayabusa nodded. He knew that he was walking on thin ice with Jack. He would have to be more careful. Despite his sarcastic attitude, he liked Jack. He would hate to have him as an enemy.

Jack walked into the elevator and everyone else followed him. He hit the arrow that was pointing down.

Soon the doors swung open and Jack was greeted with a surprise. Instead of a busy villainous lair, he was greeted with a pitch black room. The only light he saw was of various computer displays. He was very cautious and instead of just walking out into the room, he crouched slowly and quietly took cover behind a nearby computer console. Myamoto did the same. However, Hayate and Hayabusa quietly walked towards the center of the room, swords ready.

"They're either extremely stupid or extremely good," Jack whispered quietly to Myamoto.

* * *

Smith watched as the two ninjas carefully made their way from the elevator. Thomas had his men hidden everywhere and he had closed the blinds on the upstairs room. The red glow would have shown Jack where the girls were and he wasn't ready for that yet. This should go perfectly.

"Okay, Tom, do it now," he whispered silently into his radio.

Thomas grinned. "You heard him guys. Attack!"

* * *

Suddenly the room was filled with mercenaries. Hayabusa took two down easily with his sword. Hayate jabbed his sword sharply into a nearby merc and the he turned and used the momentum he created to take down a man behind him. Jack rolled out from behind the console and took a shot, nailing a man across the room in the head. He got up and killed another man on his way back to the console, dodging a magnitude of machine gun fire. Myamoto peeked over the edge of the cluster of computers he was using for cover and fired a fired at a nearby merc. Jack stealthily creeped around the corner of the console and shot a merc who was just about to attack Hayabusa from behind.

The loud boom of Myamoto's shotgun startled everyone every time it went off, but he was taking down two or three men with a single blast. It was much louder than Jack's silenced Beretta or the ninja's swords.

Jack fired the last bullet in his magazine taking down another man near the back of the room, then he rolled back behind the console to reload. He grabbed another clip out of his jacket pocket and replaced it into his weapon.

"Where are they all coming from?!" Jack asked Myamoto.

Myamoto shrugged and shot another man who was trying to sneak up behind Hayate. Jack stood up and jumped over the console landing quietly behind the one in front of it.

"Cover me, Myamoto," Jack said.

Myamoto nodded and Jack quietly climbed to his feet. He glanced over at Hayabusa and Hayate, who weren't making any progress, but weren't having any trouble holding the mercs off either. Then Jack returned his attention to his own situation. He had to find Smith. He fired two shots, killing two mercs at the opposite side of the room. It seemed like that's where they were coming from. Myamoto's gun boomed behind him and he saw anther man crumple to the ground.

"Jack, behind you!"

Jack instinctively ducked as the knife barely missed him, then he jumped up using his shoulder to knock the man back. He then used his elbow to knock the man to the ground. The fallen merc raised a small gun and Jack fired a single shot into the man's chest.

Hayabusa watched as Jack continued to slowly make his way through the dark room. He swung his sword forcefully taking down a man behind Hayate. They were getting nowhere. Hayate jumped off of a nearby wall and tackled a large merc. Hayabusa rolled to the side avoiding a bullet and came up swinging his sword sharply, taking out the man in front of him. He then whirled around and kicked another merc to the ground, stabbing hi as he hit the floor, doing all this in one fluid movement. Then he stepped to the side as someone else was taken down by Jack's pistol.

Jack nodded toward Hayabusa and continued looking for Smith. Jack took out another two men who were trying to sneak around behind him. He was about to yell at Myamoto for cover, but he saw that Myamoto was busy with his own problems. Jack ducked behind a third console and checked his gun. He had only six shots left.

* * *

Smith watched in amazement as Jack kept killing his men. It was unbelievable. The man never missed his target. He was getting very close to where he was hiding, and Smith was beginning to feel a little uncomfortable.

"Thomas?" he asked into the radio. "How many men do you have left?"

"That's it. The only ones that are left are the ones in the room. You had better get ready to use that back up plan we talked about earlier."

"Damn! Isn't there another way? I still need--"

"You had your bloody time! It's too late now."

Smith watched as Jack killed four more men. There were only eight men left. This wasn't going to be pretty.

* * *

Jack was relieved to finally see that the mercs had stopped coming in. He stepped quietly over the bodies of the men he had just shot and the he rolled behind another console. He heard a merc swear under his breath as Jack again disappeared. Then the man fell to the ground when Myamoto's shotgun went off, instantly killing him. Jack was impressed with Myamoto's skill, but now was not the time for compliments. He shot another two men with remarkable precision, and slowly stood up, thinking that the area was clear. Then something amazing happened. Hayabusa could be heard chanting something across the room. Then suddenly fiery circles surrounded him and he shot a ball of flame across the room, taking out the last five men and scorching all the walls. Jack was stunned, but he would ask about that later. He heard someone mutter an amazed 'damn.'

Jack silently crept up to where the noise had come from. Then he saw him. There was a small man with dark black hair in a business shirt and slacks. He was holding a six inch hunting knife, and there was blood on the tip. Jack squeezed the trigger of his gun, but instead of firing a shot it just made a distinct clicking noise.

The man Jack had been aiming at whirled around and laughed.

Smith saw Jack standing behind him. He looked just like he had in the photos on his computer. He wore a black leather jacket and blue jeans. He had dark brown hair and eyes to match.

"We finally meet, Jack Wallace."

Jack put his gun away. "Smith," he said, as if he was spitting the word from his mouth.

Smith nodded and climbed to his feet. "I have something to show you."

He held up a remote and hit a button, which turned on the lights. Then he hit another button opening the blinds to the large window.

Jack watched curiously at the opening blinds. Then he spotted the battered and bruised Kasumi cuffed to a large metal frame, clearly terrified. There was some kind of glowing red liquid attached to her arm. Then Jack noticed someone else in the room with her.

"You bastard!" Jack yelled.

He swung at Smith with his right fist. Smith was caught off guard and he took the punch in the face. He stumbled backwards and tripped over a nearby body. Jack kicked him and he coughed, but then he reached for the remote and hit a red button.

Smith wiped the blood away from his mouth and laughed. "It's time to choose, Mr. Wallace."

Jack was unsure of what Smith meant, but he knew it wasn't good.

* * *

Kasumi had heard a lot of scuffling in the large room and every once in a while a loud boom rang out. She was surprised to see that Jack had survived the entire engagement, knowing that he must've been severely outnumbered.

When the blinds finally opened she saw him standing over Smith, who had blood on his face. Then to her horror, he hit the red button on the small remote. The electronic valves on the IV bags beeped and then the liquid started coming through.

It burned like battery acid and she let out an agonized scream as the stuff burned through her arm and eventually made its way to her chest. Every time her heart beat it seemed like it was being torn apart, and the drug seemed to pierce into her lungs, stealing her breath. She looked at Ayane sadly, who was also crying and gasping for air. Then she felt the mysterious glowing fluid burn into her sore legs, and finally, it made it's way to her head, making her brain explode with agony. She couldn't scream because her breath was gone, but warm tears continued to pour down her face as she let out her anguished sobs. The red liquid continued bore into her brain, and seemed to melt her body. It hurt so much and she couldn't even think of words to describe how painful it was. The closest she could come was that it felt like someone had slowly ripped out her insides with a red hot fork and tossed them into an erupting volcano.

* * *

Jack watched in panic as Kasumi screamed. He then noticed she had stopped breathing, but her tears continued to fall.

"What have you done?!" Jack screamed at Smith, who was still grinning.

"You have about one minute before it's too late." Smith climbed to his feet and ran towards the rear exit.

Jack put away his empty gun and ran up the stairs. Jack was relieved when he saw Myamoto run up the stairs after him, carrying the laptop, because the door was locked with a keypad. Myamoto quickly started working on the lock.

"I'll only take about thirty seconds, Jack. She should be okay."

Kasumi gasped for air, but she couldn't breathe. Her skin had started to burn and itch against anything that touched it and her wrists and ankles were on fire. It felt like she was lying in a vat of melted iron, and she was slowly sinking into unconsciousness. She closed her eyes and tried to move, but when she moved, her muscles felt like they had been shredded apart. So all she could do was lay there and sob, praying that she would survive.

"Hold on, Kasumi!" Jack yelled though the door. "Just a few more seconds!"

Jack looked at his watch which told him she only had about fifteen seconds before she crossed the point of no return. Just then the door slid open, and he ran inside, almost tripping on an empty box. Kasumi looked at him with a panicked expression, moving her lips to say something, but making no sound. Then he pulled the IV out of her arm and began to struggle with the metal cuffs.

Hayabusa followed him and quickly walked over to Ayane, also pulling the long needle from out of her veins. She didn't look nearly as desperate as Kasumi, but Hayabusa could see the pain in her eyes

Jack waited, but Kasumi still didn't breathe and soon he saw no other option than to give her mouth to mouth. He took a deep breath and plugged her nose. As soon as he had finished, she started screaming again, unable to stop herself. Myamoto looked worried, but he didn't say anything.

Ayane recovered more quickly than Kasumi and her breath returned very slowly, but the drug's painful effects still remained. She watched sadly as Kasumi continued to gasp for air. She thought it might be because of the more severe extent of Kasumi's injuries.

Jack gave Kasumi another breath of air. This time she managed to hold it in, but her skin and insides still felt like they were slowly being melted. Jack let his emotions go and he brushed away some tears.

"C'mon, Kasumi! Breathe!"

Kasumi managed to take her next breath on her own, but it wasn't much more than a quick gasp. Jack quickly found the keys to the cuffs and released her from her restraints, and her arms limply fell to her sides as he opened to upper cuffs, much like a marionette would fall after it's strings have been severed. He then spotted the burn marks on her wrists and ankles. When he tried to pull her out of the frame she screamed again, his touch burning her skin like sulfuric acid, and she couldn't help but cry out. Jack was shocked at how hot Kasumi's skin was. He let go of her and handed the keys to Hayabusa, who then released Ayane.

Ayane brushed away Hayabusa's hands and tried to stand on her own, but her leg muscles burned too much and she fell to the ground in a miserable heap. She yelled loudly when she hit the floor. When the tile made contact with her skin, it felt like she had just landed in a pool of boiling magma. Hayabusa picked her up and set her in a nearby chair. Ayane winced when she was touched, but she managed to hold back her cries.

Jack glanced at the bag of red stuff and noticed that every time a drop hit the floor, it sizzled. Whatever this stuff was, it was very strong.

"I'm sorry, Kasumi, but I have to get you out of that thing," Jack said.

Kasumi inhaled a short quick breath and tried to talk, but all that came out were whispers. She frantically shook her head as Jack reached for her once again, and as soon as his hands touched her arms she cried out once more. He released his hands immediately and sighed sadly. Her temperature had risen since he last touched her and he was extremely worried.

Jack wiped his face again. "I need to get you out of here."

Ayane's skin seemed to burn against the chair she was sitting in. She tried to get up once again, only this time she leaned against Hayabusa's shoulder. She winced, but she managed to hold her balance. Hayabusa knew that she had to be in great pain, but he didn't know how to relieve it. He hoped these effects wouldn't last long.

Jack looked sadly at Kasumi, who gazed at him with tearful eyes. He couldn't touch her, she wouldn't stop crying and she could barely breathe. Even her clothes burned where they made contact with her skin. He could only imagine how much it pained her lying in the frame. Kasumi took another labored breath and tried to move, but the agonizing scorching in her bullet wounds prevented her from making any progress. Jack held out his hand and waited to see if Kasumi would take it.

Kasumi blinked away her tears and grasped Jack's hand as tight as her burning muscles would allow. Then she leaned forward and slowly took a step out of the frame with her good leg. Jack walked closer and let Kasumi lean on his shoulder as she set her foot on the tile floor. She then pulled her beaten right leg out of the frame and tried to stand up. She slowly applied more pressure to her battered hip, but instead of standing she collapsed to the floor and sobbed. Jack gently scooped her up into his arms and set her down on a nearby crate. She had fallen hard and he hoped that her hip hadn't been dislocated again. She found it hard to move her arms, and when she did a sharp pain would shoot through her shoulders. But she thought it was only the drug.

Myamoto glanced at Jack and Hayabusa, then he wondered where Hayate had run off to. He decided that it would be best to wait to ask that question. Ayane limped for about two steps and then stumbled and started to fall, but Hayabusa caught her.

"Don't move. You're not in any condition--"

"I can take care of myself, Hayabusa," Ayane said stubbornly.

Hayabusa shook his head and loosened his grip.

Ayane started for the door, but stopped when she looked at Kasumi. She still wasn't getting any better and Ayane wondered how long she would have to endure the excruciating pain. If she was still experiencing it, how much worse did Kasumi feel? She shook her head and continued to slowly limp towards the door.

"Watch it! You won't be able to make it down those stairs!" Myamoto warned.

Ayane stopped. "Who are you?" she asked, noticing Myamoto for the first time.

Myamoto walked towards Ayane. "I'm Jack's friend. I think you should stay here until someone thinks of an idea."

Hayabusa brought the chair over to Ayane and set it down. "Sit down, Ayane. You know he's right."

Ayane sighed and slowly sat down in the chair. She flinched when she hit the seat.

Jack kneeled down and looked Kasumi in the eye. "Can I do anything to make you feel better?"

Kasumi took another painful breath. "Water..." she whispered.

Jack grabbed two small two way radios off of a nearby shelf and turned to Myamoto. "Can you go and see if there's some water out there?"

Myamoto nodded. "Anything to help."

Jack handed him one of the radios. "If anything happens, hide and tell me immediately."

Myamoto pocketed the radio and nodded. Then he turned towards the door and left.

Jack watched him leave then he stood up and turned to Ayane for the first time. She was still taking short quick breaths, but she was breathing more regularly than Kasumi and it seemed like she could say complete sentences. He wondered if she had changed her feelings toward Kasumi at all.


	21. Chapter Twenty

**DISCLAIMER:** I DO NOT OWN ANY DEAD OR ALIVE CHARACTER. THOSE CHARACTERS BELONG TO TECMO, LTD. AND TEAM NINJA. I AM IN NO WAY INTENDING ANY COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT AND I'M NOT MAKING A PROFIT FROM THE USE OF THESE CHARACTERS. ANY CHARACTER NOT A PART OF DEAD OR ALIVE IS MINE AND MINE ALONE.

**Chapter Twenty**

_Sunday, December 25_

_1:00 A.M._

_Warehouse 14_

Smith and Thomas exited the warehouse via a rear staircase and retreated to Smith's truck. As soon as Smith sat down in the driver's seat he started laughing.

"Did you see his response? It was even better than I expected!"

Thomas shook his head and started playing with his zippo lighter. "You don't have any idea what that stuff does, do you?"

Smith glared at Thomas. "What does it matter? I know it is very excruciating and that's all that counts. I hope she suffers for a long time."

"Oh, she will. I've seen other people use that stuff before. The ones that die are far more fortunate."

Smith looked curiously at Thomas. "Really? What does it do?"

"Well, if he saved her before the fifteen second mark, The burning would last for hours, but no real serious damage would happen. After thirty seconds have passed, her internal organs and skin would have started to corrode and she would feel an extremely painful burning whenever she touches something. Anything after that I don't even want to think about describing."

Smith laughed again. "Since I locked the door, I'm assuming that it took Jack at least the better part of a minute to rescue them. It looks like he's going to find out what happens after thirty seconds."

Thomas glared at Smith. "You really are a gutless worm, aren't you?"

Smith stopped laughing immediately. "If I still didn't need your help--"

He was cut off by the ringing of his phone. "Hello?"

"How is it coming?" the distorted voice asked.

"W-we had a little delay," Smith replied nervously.

"A delay?"

"Yes. A man by the name of Jack Wallace--"

"Jack Wallace? Do you still have custody of Kasumi?"

"Kasumi?" Smith asked. "Um....no. But--"

"You idiot! You have captured her twice and you can't even keep track of her for two days?! You are even more stupid than I realized. What about Ayane?"

Smith gulped. "If you are referring to the girl with purple hair, I'm afraid she's gone too. Jack has released them."

The line went quiet and Smith knew he was in trouble. "Both of them are gone," the voice said quietly.

"Y-yes, sir."

"How could you let one man destroy your entire operation?!"

"Y-you don't understand, sir. He had help. He brought three other men with him. It was unbelievable. They finished off my men like they were nothing. I had no other choice but to use the Completion on them.

"You used the Completion on Jack?"

Smith swallowed hard. "Um, not exactly."

"Don't even tell me that you used it on the girls."

Smith sighed. "Okay, I won't."

The distorted voice paused, then said, "I need that village, Smith. It looks like I'm going to have to come down there and do things myself."

"Why is the gold so important to you?"

"Gold? Do you honestly believe I would be doing this over something so trivial?"

"Yes?" Smith said in a unsure manner.

The voice laughed and sent chills up Smith spine. Then the line went dead.

* * *

_Sunday, December 25_

_1:02 A.M._

_Location Unknown_

He hung up the phone and glanced out of the large window in front of him. _Jack Wallace? I have heard that name somewhere. How is he involved? What are his motivations?_

He sat down and powered up his computer. The Shinobi were far more important than Smith realized. He had fed him the gold story to get him motivated, but now the usefulness of that lie had ended. He called the airport and booked a flight to Hong Kong. It was time to start working on Dead or Alive 4. If they had managed to survive the Completion, he would get Kasumi and Ayane once they signed up, and if Jack interfered there, he would deal with him.

* * *

_Sunday, December 25_

_1:04 A.M._

_Organization Compound 32_

Myamoto soon returned with a box of bottled water. He tossed one to Jack and put down the box.

Jack caught the bottle easily and opened it for Kasumi, and then handed it to her. She took the bottle with her quaking hands, and started gulping down the water. Jack was sure that she hadn't had anything to drink since she was taken about two days ago.

Hayabusa spotted Ayane trying to reach for the box of water. He grabbed one of the bottles and handed it to her. She looked at him as she grabbed the water, and they're eyes met. Hayabusa spotted many emotions behind those big amber eyes, but the one he recognized first was remorse. They both looked away at the same time.

Jack took the empty bottle from Kasumi's hand. "More?"

Kasumi shook her head. "No thanks." Her voice was small and weak.

"How long does this stuff last?" Jack asked to no one in particular.

Myamoto shrugged and took an empty vial off of a nearby shelf. "I don't know, but I want to take a sample for examination."

Jack nodded, then he turned back to Kasumi. "Do you feel strong enough to leave?"

Kasumi nodded slowly and wiped away a tear. "I want to try."

She stepped out of the frame, using Jack to keep her balance. He held her hand tightly and made sure she didn't fall, but she was very unstable. As she took a step forward, a unimaginably agonizing pain shot through her swollen hip, making her yelp loudly and fall. Jack caught her before she hit the ground. She cried and cried, seemingly incapable of controlling herself.

"I don't think you can walk. I'm going to have to carry you, but it's going to hurt. Is that okay?"

She nodded.

"Okay. I'll try to be as careful and as fast as I can."

Jack gently picked Kasumi up and quickly made his way down the stairs. He proceed past all of the dead mercenaries and broken computer consoles until he arrived at the elevator. Kasumi felt her skin burning against Jack's arms and her own clothes. She tried her best not to make any sounds, but she couldn't help but whimper, her hot tears also escaping her grasp.

Jack pushed the up arrow button on the elevator's control panel and hoped Kasumi wasn't in too much pain, but she was crying and he knew that she was hurting bad.

"I'm sorry, Kasumi."

She shook her head. "It's okay. There's no other way."

The elevator slowly climbed and soon it arrived back at the warehouse. The doors opened wide and Jack quickly returned to his Jeep. He was grateful the doors were still open and he placed her on the passenger seat. Kasumi winced when she was put down.

"Are you going to be okay?" Jack asked.

"I think so. The burning is starting to go away now."

Jack nodded and closed the door. He leaned against the side of the Jeep and hailed Myamoto who was with Hayabusa and Ayane.

"How are you guys coming along?" he asked.

"It going a little slow, Hayabusa is still helping Ayane down the stairs. She's too stubborn to let him carry her. Where are you guys?"

Jack depressed the button on the radio. "We're outside by the Jeep. Take as long as you need to."

"Okay. We'll probably be there in about fifteen minutes."

Jack put away the radio and glanced at Kasumi. All he wanted to do was give her a big hug and tell her everything would be okay. But he also knew that it would hurt her too much, and hurting her was the last thing he wanted to do.

He decided it would be best to be prepared, so he reloaded his pistol with a fresh clip, pocketing the empty one. He then realized he only had one clip left in his jacket. _Well, twenty bullets should take care of almost anything, _he thought.

Kasumi closed her eyes and thought about how much trouble she had caused. She had broken the most important promise she had made to herself. She promised herself that after she left the village, she wouldn't make any friends or get attached to anyone, knowing any relationship she would have could only be temporary. She didn't want to put anyone else in danger, and she didn't want anyone to share her fate as a runaway. But when Jack had started being her friend and showing his concern for her, she couldn't stop herself. She felt so alone and all she had wanted was someone to be with. Someone who actually would care about her. Jack had given her so much of his time and affection and she had gotten lost in the fun of it all. But then this happened and she now realized the error of her ways. She knew what she had to do, but could she do it?

"Kasumi, did you hear me?"

She opened her eyes and looked at Jack, tears building in them. "What?"

"I thought you said the burning was going away? What's wrong?"

Kasumi blinked and thought of a quick lie. "Um, it's my hip. Don't worry."

Jack nodded sadly. "Well, what I said was Ayane, Hayabusa, and Myamoto should be here shortly."

Kasumi nodded. The burning had reduced considerably, but it was still there, and her hip was still in very much pain. But that wasn't why she had been crying.

* * *

Smith glanced at Thomas. "Just tell me what the stuff does. I need to know."

"The Completion will do many terrible things after the thirty second mark, but the victim will not know what is going on. Unlike the fifteen second victims, the burning will go away more quickly and the initial symptoms will dissipate quickly. After that she'll feel better, in fact she'll feel almost normal. Then the real symptoms kick in."

Smith waited for Thomas to continue. "Then what?"

Thomas shrugged. "It's different for everyone. I can tell you what usually happens, but I don't want to. It's too awful. She won't die, but she'll wish she had."

Smith nodded. "Well, you-know-who wants to come over here and take over the operation. He wants the village. He says there's really no gold there, so there must be something else."

"Obviously."

Smith glared and started the truck. They needed to leave right away. As soon as he pulled around front, he spotted Jack talking with Kasumi near a green Jeep. He was tempted to try to retake the girl, but then Jack spotted him and all hell broke loose.

* * *

Jack spotted the truck quickly and he took careful aim at Smith. He squeezed off a shot, but the bullet was stopped by the bullet-proof glass of Smith's truck.

"Damn!" Jack said as he put away his gun. He would have to do this the hard way.

He ran at the truck as it pulled out and caught the tailgate. He heard Smith yell angrily, and then the truck started to swerve from side to side, preventing Jack from climbing any further.

"Let go you bloody yank!"

Jack ignored the passenger's remark and held on tightly. After about five seconds, he decided to let go before Smith took him too far away from Kasumi. She needed him right now and there was nothing that was going to keep him from being by her side. This time, she was going to stay safe. After he let go, he rolled in the street. Then he climbed to his feet, dusted off his jacket, and put away his gun. He then walked back to the Jeep and continued to wait for the rest of the group. Suddenly, something occurred to him.

"Where's Hayate?"

Kasumi quickly hid any signs of recognition. She didn't want Jack to know she knew anything about the Shinobi. "Who's that?"

"To be completely honest, I don't know. I just know that he's Shinobi. I wonder why they are so interested in taking down Smith?" Jack asked.

Kasumi knew that Hayate had only come because of Ayane. Jack could never know about her true origin. He obviously already knew Hayate was Shinobi, so if he ever found out they were related, bad things would happen. He also knew that Ayane was her sister, but he apparently didn't know that she was also Hayate's sister. That could also ruin everything.

"No one knows about the Shinobi's motives," Kasumi said.

"What do you know about the Shinobi?" Jack asked casually. "I hear they're some kind of mysterious group that tend to make people disappear."

Kasumi looked at Jack. "Not much," she lied, "I know just about as much as you do."

"I figured you'd say that," Jack paused a moment. "How do you think Ayane's doing?"

Kasumi looked back to the warehouse doors. "I don't know. She never talks to me. I wish..."

Jack waited for Kasumi to go on. "What?"

"I wish she could just forgive me. She doesn't have to be my friend," Kasumi wiped her face, "but I just want her to stop hating me."

Jack was very curious. "What happened between you two?"

Kasumi sighed sadly. "I have no idea what I did wrong. Before I left the vil--"

She quickly stopped herself. _What have I done?_ she thought. "Before I left home, we were friends, but after that..."

Jack nodded. He noticed Kasumi's hesitation but he decided not to read into it. He thought it would be a good time to change the subject.

"Do you think you need to go back to the hospital?"

Kasumi shook her head. "I think I'll be okay. What about you? Are you okay?"

Jack looked puzzled. "Yeah, I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

"Because Smith had your apartment bugged. He let me listen to a recording of you talking about me. You sounded drunk."

Jack looked a little embarrassed. "I kind of lost it when you were taken from the hospital. I thought I would never see you again and I guess I was just trying to drown out the pain."

Kasumi was just about to respond when the radio in Jack's hand came on.

"Hey, Jack, we're on our way out. Could you drive the Jeep up to the front of the building. Hayabusa doesn't think Ayane can walk much further."

Jack depressed the button. "No problem."

Jack gave the radio to Kasumi and walked around to the driver's side of the green vehicle. Once he pulled up to the door, he spotted Ayane leaning against Hayabusa and slowly limping towards the Jeep. She looked like she could fall over at any moment.

Jack got out and leaned his seat as far forward as it would go. Hayabusa helped Ayane climb into the back and then he turned to Jack and Myamoto, who had just walked up.

"Jack, I want you to take everyone back to your apartment. I need to see where Hayate went. I'll meet you in the morning."

"Are you sure you don't want to come back tomorrow to find him?"

Hayabusa shook his head. "He may have found something useful, or he may be in trouble. It's best if I stay here."

Jack waved Myamoto inside the Jeep and started it up. He waved at Hayabusa and started on his way back home.

After about five minutes Myamoto leaned forward. "Hey, can we swing by my place real quick. I need to get something."

"I was going to drop you off there anyway."

Myamoto shook his head. "I think it would be best if I hung around your place until Hayate and Hayabusa return. It couldn't hurt to have some extra help, right?"

Jack nodded. "Sure. I guess that's a pretty good idea."

He glanced at his watch when he arrived at Myamoto's. It was almost one thirty, and everyone was clearly exhausted. He wondered what Myamoto was getting, but decided to wait until everyone was at his place before he would ask. Then he looked at Kasumi who had peacefully drifted to sleep in the seat next to him. She looked so beautiful and he wondered, not for the first time, why anyone would want to do something like this to her. He took of his jacket and placed it around her shoulders, shielding her form the harsh winter air. And then he continued to wait for Myamoto.

Myamoto rummaged through the pile of papers on his desk until he found what he had been looking for. He knew he had heard the name Ayane somewhere before and he had a pretty good idea of where he heard it. Then he found the list of names he had gotten from the disk. It had seemed like months since he had looked at the information, but in reality it had only been a matter of days. He gathered the large group of papers into a neat stack and then he placed them in a file folder. After wrapping the folder with a rubber band he walked back out to the Jeep.

"It's about time. What took you so long?" Jack asked.

Myamoto shrugged. "I'm a very unorganized person. I need to show you something when we get back to your place."

Jack started the Jeep again. "Whatever."

Soon, Jack pulled into the familiar lot behind his building and turned off the car. He let Myamoto get out and then he handed him the key to his apartment.

"Go unlock the door. I'll take care of the girls."

Myamoto took the keys and nodded. Jack turned back to the Jeep. He decided to wake Ayane first because she was able to stand on her own.

Jack gently tapped Ayane on the shoulder. "Ayane, wake up. We're here."

Ayane groggily opened her eyes. "Leave me alone."

"Come on. You'll feel better when we get inside, I promise."

Ayane looked at Jack irritably and sighed. "Fine."

Jack helped her to get out. Ayane leaned against the side of the Jeep. She felt so tired she thought she could collapse right there.

Jack made sure Ayane was stable before getting Kasumi. He saw no sense in waking her up, since she couldn't walk anyway, so softly picked her up and shut the door with his foot. Then he began walking towards his apartment building.

Ayane started to limp after him but she soon stumbled and fell to the ground. Jack heard the noise and turned around to find Ayane crawl to her knees and wipe away a stray tear.

Jack walked back to her. "Lean on me. It will make things a lot easier."

Ayane was about to argue, but she realized that she didn't really have a choice. She sighed and climbed to her feet. Then she used Jack's shoulder for balance, being very careful not to jar Kasumi.

They slowly made their way to the elevators in the lobby of his building.

"I'm on the third floor." Jack said. He would have pressed the button himself, but his hands were full.

Ayane pressed the button and waited as the elevator slowly climbed to the third floor. The doors opened and they all made their way down the narrow hallway to Jack's place.

"Myamoto, open the door." Jack said loudly.

The door swung open and Myamoto quickly stepped out of the way when he saw Jack carrying Kasumi in his arms.

Jack took the still sleeping Kasumi back to his room and lay her down on the soft warm bed. After removing her black shoes and placing an extra pillow under her sore hip, he covered her with his thick blue comforter and gave her a small kiss on the forehead.

"Sweet dreams, Kasumi."

Jack then walked back out to the living room, where Myamoto had already helped Ayane to the recliner.

"I don't think I've ever had so many guests," Jack said. "Myamoto, help me fold out the couch for Ayane."

"Sure," Myamoto said.

When the couch had been unfolded, Jack turned to Ayane and helped her onto the bed. He then walked back to the closet where he had put Kasumi's things and grabbed a thick blanket and two pillows. When he returned to the living room, Ayane had already taken off her shoes and was laying on her back. He placed the pillows behind her head and spread the blanket over her.

"Are you comfortable?"

Ayane gave a simple nod in response.

"Good. Sleep well, Ayane," Jack said as he turned out the lights.

"Thanks." she said.

"You're welcome. Now, get some sleep."

He then walked into the kitchen. Myamoto followed carrying his folder.

"Who is that girl?" Myamoto asked.

"Ayane is Kasumi's sister."

Myamoto looked surprised. "She's Kasumi's sister? That makes this news a lot worse, Jack."

Jack looked at Myamoto with a puzzled expression. "What's the big problem?"

"I have something to tell you and it might not be easy to hear."

Jack filled a mug full of coffee and took a seat as his kitchen table. "That's what you keep saying. Will you hurry up and spit it out?"

Myamoto opened the folder and handed it to him. "See for yourself."


	22. Chapter TwentyOne

**DISCLAIMER:** I DO NOT OWN ANY DEAD OR ALIVE CHARACTER. THOSE CHARACTERS BELONG TO TECMO, LTD. AND TEAM NINJA. I AM IN NO WAY INTENDING ANY COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT AND I'M NOT MAKING A PROFIT FROM THE USE OF THESE CHARACTERS. ANY CHARACTER NOT A PART OF DEAD OR ALIVE IS MINE AND MINE ALONE.

**Chapter Twenty-one**

_Sunday, December 25_

_1:43 A.M._

_Streets of Downtown_

Smith stared at the large crack Jack's bullet had left in his window. He was glad it was a bullet-proof window or he'd surely be dead.

"Look what that asshole did to my truck! Do you have any idea how much bullet-proof glass costs?"

Thomas groaned. "Will you shut your trap about that stupid window? You're lucky to be alive."

"No, I'm not," Smith said. "Now I have to deal with the fact that I screwed up the job and lost both girls. Do you realize what that means?"

Thomas shrugged. "I don't really care one way or another. It's not my problem about the subjects. I know what the Completion will do to them. I almost feel sorry for them."

Smith laughed. "You feel sorry for them? I can't believe you'd feel sorry for anyone, which makes me wonder what exactly that stuff does."

Thomas started toying with his chrome lighter. "What I'm pissed about is the fact that Jack and his buddies killed all my men. I want to take that guy down..."

Smith shook his head. "No you don't. He beat Bayman, remember? Bayman was good enough to be in DOA 3 and Jack beat him up. I'd hate to see what he could do to you."

Thomas shrugged. "There's other ways to take a man down. All I have to do is pick one."

Smith just kept driving and didn't respond to Thomas casual remarks about Jack. His mind was thinking about what exactly the Completion, was and what was so terrible about it. He had received the box from his superiors in the United States government, and had been given instructions to use it only as a last resort. I guess he thought that Smith could have gotten the location rather easily, but he was wrong. Those girls were far tougher than he had anticipated. However, he knew he had caused a large amount of emotional damage as well as physical damage, and that satisfied him. But that wasn't enough to get the job done and he wondered what would happen now.

* * *

_Sunday, December 25_

_1:46 A.M._

_Jack's Apartment_

Jack looked at the file folder on the table, but didn't open it. "What is it?"

Myamoto sighed. "Just look at it, and then tell me what you think."

Jack nodded and removed the rubber band. The file had a photograph of Ayane in a black ninja-like outfit. He removed the photo from the group and looked at the sheet of information below, reading it to himself. He read that she was a known Shinobi and half sister to Hayate and Kasumi. It also stated that she rarely showed her true emotions and tends to take many walks in the woods, alone. There was much more there, but all he did was read one part over and over again. _She's Shinobi. She's Kasumi's and Hayate's half sister."_

"No. No, Myamoto, this is wrong. It can't be true."

Myamoto filled a mug of his own with coffee and took a seat. "I'm afraid so, Jack."

"You're wrong!"

Myamoto shook his head. "Sorry, man, but that info came from the disk you gave me. It's true."

Jack knew what this meant. "Kasumi is Shinobi? But she's always in town and she lived in an abandoned garage. She isn't...she couldn't be..."

But the more Jack thought about it, the more it made sense. It explained her reluctance to talk about her past and family. Jack was still curious about something though.

"If she's Shinobi, how come she's always looking over her shoulder and why doesn't she live wherever the rest of the Shinobi live?"

Myamoto thought a moment. "I honestly don't know. But I know what that paper says."

Jack took a big drink of coffee and looked across the table at Myamoto. "Well, I guess this will have to wait until morning. I'm sure she can straighten things out."

Myamoto shook his head. "Don't say anything or they'll kill us both. If they knew we had proof they'd just kill us without a second thought."

Jack sighed. "You already blurted out that you knew Hayate was Shinobi when he was in the same room."

Myamoto shook his head. "Yeah, but he was talking with Hayabusa and he wasn't paying attention to what we were talking about. He doesn't know anything."

Jack shrugged. "I trust Kasumi with my life, and I think it'll be okay. I'm willing to take the risk. Besides, I can take care of myself."

Myamoto nodded. "Yeah, you proved that today. Where did you learn to shoot like that?"

Jack shrugged. "I practiced forever when I was a private eye. All I did in my free time was shoot at the range. When your an investigator in Los Angeles, go have to be a good shot and a good fighter. Especially when you're as young as I am. When you're only twenty years old, nobody wants to take you seriously and everyone wants to kick your ass. I had to be good. It was either that, or be killed."

"No kidding. You took Bayman like he was a kid."

Jack was confused. "Bayman? Do you mean that big guy in the warehouse? What's so great about him?"

Myamoto was stunned. "You don't know who Bayman is? He was in the last DOA tournament. He's rumored to have used to work for Victor Donovan, even though no one has proof."

"Donovan? I'm sorry, Myamoto, but I didn't keep up with the last two DOA tournaments and I didn't even know about the first one until it was over."

"What? How could you not be interested in the Dead or Alive World Championship Tournaments? Especially the way you can fight."

Jack shrugged. "I don't know. I guess I was too busy being an investigator to take notice of publicity stunts by DOATEC. And I really didn't do much today. Hayate helped out."

"Yeah, but Bayman didn't even touch you, Jack. And You knocked him back with one punch. Not even some of the guys in DOA did that."

Jack grinned. "Thanks. I guess I am a good fighter, but I'm not nearly as great as you think I am. I'm much better with my Beretta."

"No arguments there. I'm wondering, how did you meet Kasumi and Ayane if you don't keep up with DOA?"

"I met them when I worked on Zack Island. That's when I really learned Kasumi had been in DOA. Out of all the women there, Kasumi was the one that really caught my eye. She was just so compassionate and positive, even though all of the other girls treated her like dirt. Well, not all of them. Hitomi, Leifang, and Lisa were pretty nice to her. And I became her friend pretty quick. Too bad--"

"_You_ worked on Zack Island? The same island that sank into the ocean about five months ago?"

"Has it really been that long? It seems like it only happened yesterday."

Myamoto laughed. "Wow, I didn't know you worked there. That's really cool Jack."

"Hey, keep it down. The girls are trying to sleep."

Myamoto nodded sheepishly. "Sorry."

Then something occurred to Jack. "I mentioned Kasumi before and you didn't carry on like this."

Myamoto shrugged. "I thought it was a different Kasumi and when I saw her I just figured you already knew about it."

Jack nodded. "Well, I did already know about it, and now I know why she won't tell me about her past."

Myamoto nodded and let out a big yawn.

Jack noticed that the coffee wasn't really keeping him awake either. "I'm gonna go get us some sleeping bags."

He got up and walked back to his closet where he had four sleeping bags in a corner. He retrieved two of them and handed one to Myamoto.

"You can sleep anywhere that's not in the way. I'm staying in my room with Kasumi."

Myamoto took the bag and nodded. "Sure. I'll take a spot somewhere in the living room."

Myamoto walked off and Jack set his own sleeping bag up beside his bed on the floor.

Jack nodded towards Myamoto and entered his room. He then rolled his thick green sleeping back out on the floor and climbed inside.

"Good night, Kasumi," Jack whispered quietly.

He hoped she would feel better in the morning.

* * *

_Sunday, December 25_

_2:20 A.M._

_Dark Alley_

Corso looked at his small PDA computer and grinned. He had just received an email from his newest buyer. It was time for him to do what he did best: find and sell information. He always remained a neutral party, making sure that everyone knew he worked alone and for no one else but himself. But for a reasonable price anyone could buy an advantage from him.

"'DOA 4 to come soon,'" he read aloud, "'monitor all contestants form previous tournament. I will be in touch.'"

The message was signed 'Annulus.' But other than that single elusive name, Corso had no idea who he was selling this information to.

He decided to start getting ready for the new tournament. He put on his black felt fedora hat, which matched his pinstripe black suit, completing his 1950's mobster look. Anyone who ever saw him said he looked like he had just left the set of _The Godfather_. But he didn't care what others thought. His style was unique and it helped his business.

He headed out into the busy streets of Los Angeles. This was the best place in the world to find anything to do with the media, and DOA definitely had it's place in the news. He would check all the previous contestants out first.

* * *

Annulus looked at the darkened DOATEC building with satisfaction. Soon it would start. One of the greatest competitions known to man was being organized inside that building. He had decided to get the ball rolling, but he didn't want any credit. He would let Donovan think it was his idea and let him have the spotlight. He would much rather remain under the media's radar.

He turned away from the DOATEC headquarters and decided to check out the night life of Hong Kong before catching his flight to Japan to deal with that poor excuse of a man, Smith. Then he would head back to Washington until it was time to take Kasumi and force her to talk.

As he took a seat at the bar he recalled the name Smith had given him over the phone. _Jack Wallace? Where have I heard that before? I know it's important..._

"Another drink, sir?"

He nodded as the barkeeper refilled his glass. Whoever Jack was, he would have Corso check it out. The beauty of using Corso was that the man never wanted to know who he was getting his information for, as long as he got paid. He wanted to work independent of an outside influence. Corso liked to watch and gather information, which was just what he needed. He typed up another email...

* * *

Corso grabbed his small handheld computer form his suit pocket and glanced at the glowing screen, when he noticed the second email.

"'Keep an eye out for a man named Jack Wallace. I want to know everything,'" Corso read aloud.

He loved to do these things. Find out things no one else knew. His philosophy was that knowledge equaled power and how true that had been. He couldn't wait for DOA 4. DOA 3 had been a very busy time for him and he had been anticipating the fourth tournament since Zack had been declared the winner last year. It was an exhilarating time.

He decided that he would work on the hardest thing first, which was finding out things about Mr. Wallace. He would start with the Internet and move on from there.

* * *

_Sunday, December 25_

_7:05 A.M._

_Streets of Downtown_

Shark had been hiding in the worst part of town, hoping Smith wouldn't find him. He was disturbed by his mind, and wished that he had never taken Smith's offer. Had he gone soft? Had the girl survived? What had become of Smith? All these questions and more kept circling his mind as he wandered through the streets. He then noticed the sun was starting to creep up over the horizon.

"Sunrise," Shark said remorsefully.

Sunrises stood against everything he was. They symbolized life and joy. He worked only for pain, death, and suffering, until now. Now, things seemed different. It had been the first time he had worked on a girl so young. It had been hell on his conscience, because usually everyone he worked with gave him what he wanted within minutes, but she had held out for days. It was horrible what he did to her and he could only imagine what it had done to her mind to experience such unbearable and constant suffering.

He sighed and trudged on. He needed to find something to do. He had heard about Duncan's murder in the park and he couldn't say he felt bad about it. It really hadn't bothered him at all. He had always disliked Duncan and believed the world a better place because of his death. What really piqued his curiosity was who killed him and if it had to do with the girl he helped escape. These were questions he would have answered. For the sake of his own peace, he needed to know what happened to her.

* * *

_Sunday, December 25_

_7:32 A.M._

_Organization Compound 32_

_Hayate watched as Jack fired at the man on the floor. He expected to hear the silent pop of the silenced Beretta, but instead he heard a distinct clicking noise signifying that the weapon was empty. The man on the ground whirled around to face Jack and started laughing hysterically._

_"We finally meet, Jack Wallace," the man said._

_"Smith," Jack said coldly._

_Smith climbed to his feet. "I have something to show you."_

_Smith then raised a small black device and hit a button, turning the lights in the large room on. Hayate's eyes adjusted quickly and he watched as Smith hit yet another button on the remote, opening the blinds to the large window._

_He followed Jack's curious gaze to the metal blinds that were now opening. Then his worst nightmare revealed itself before him. The day he had feared since Kasumi had run away had finally come. Both Kasumi and Ayane lay cuffed to the large metal frame, both looking completely terrified. They were beaten and bruised and he noticed a strange glowing liquid plugged into their arms through a long plastic tube._

_"You bastard!" Jack yelled._

_Hayate watched with satisfaction as Jack hit Smith with a brutal punch to the chest, sending him stumbling over a nearby dead body. Jack seemed unable to control his anger and he kicked Smith. Hayate watched as Smith hit another button._

_The air was suddenly split with the agonized screams of his sisters._

_"It's time to choose, Mr. Wallace," Smith said darkly._

_Jack then ran up the stairs and Myamoto followed carrying the laptop. Hayabusa wore an angry expression Hayate had not seen in a long, long time. Ryu cleaned the Dragon Blade on fallen merc's shirt and put it away. He started up the stairs behind Jack and reached the door as soon as it opened. Jack rushed inside, to Kasumi's side. Hayabusa ran over to Ayane._

_Hayate had been frozen in place this whole time. The anger he felt was not something that he was used to. Smith started to run towards the back of the base and he decided to follow. Smith was soon joined by another man and they both disappeared behind a wall, presumably to another elevator. Hayate put away his own sword and walked up to the wall. Then, he was hit with a fierce blow to the back of his head. He watched with clouded vision as the sole surviving merc retreated behind the wall as well._

When Hayate awoke he saw Hayabusa sitting on a nearby crate. His head was pounding and his neck was sore. He must've been there for quite a while.

"Good. You're awake."

Hayate climbed to his feet, angry at himself for letting his emotions cloud his judgment. "Where is everyone? Is Ayane okay?"

Hayabusa shrugged. "I don't know yet. Jack took the girls to his apartment. Myamoto left with him. It's just you and me."

"Did you guys catch Smith?"

"I'm afraid not."

Hayate looked angrily at the floor. "If only I had been more careful..."

"Hayate , I know it hurt to see Kasumi and Ayane that way. I realize that you miss Kasumi very much, but you can't think of her as your sister anymore. You have to treat her as if she's already gone."

"But Ryu..."

Hayabusa shook his head. "She's supposed to die. I don't like it anymore than you, but it has to happen. I've looked after her only because you asked me too, but that can't last forever. The council will eventually find out. Now that she has Jack, I see no need to watch her any longer."

Hayate nodded sadly. "Yes, I realize that. But I can't do it. I can't just kill my own sister..."

"It's morning. I think it's time we head over to Jack's place. That's where everyone else is waiting."

Hayate nodded and started walking back to the entrance of the underground base. He would need to return to the village with Ayane tomorrow, but he would let her rest today.

* * *

_Sunday, December 25_

_12:14 P.M._

_Jack's Apartment_

_She ran down the narrow white halls, looking, praying, for an exit. The man behind her laughed at her lame attempts to save herself and continued to hunt her down. Kasumi finally realized that there was no escape from the fate that was haunting her. She turned to face the man with her shimmering copper eyes._

_"Why?" she asked sadly._

_The man said nothing as he walked up to her and raised his weapon, a large black gun. She tried to make out his face, but it was hidden in shadow. Her feet were frozen in place and she couldn't run away. Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion as the man raised his pistol and jammed it violently into her chest. He squeezed the trigger and fired the weapon. BOOM!_

"NO!" Kasumi cried loudly as she snapped awake.

Jack instantly jolted out of his deep sleep at Kasumi's terrified cry and got out of his sleeping bag. When he stood up he saw that Kasumi had large tears running down her face.

"It's okay, Kasumi," he said softly. "It was only a nightmare."

Kasumi sat up and wiped her face on the blanket. "I don't want to die," she sobbed.

Jack wrapped Kasumi in his arms. "That's not going to happen. I won't let that happen. Everything's fine now."

Kasumi returned his embrace and let her emotions break free. The nightmare had only been getting worse and more detailed since it had started, and it scared her.

As Jack held her closely, he realized that whatever had been done to her, it had clearly penetrated into her subconscious, haunting her even while she was sleeping.

Myamoto heard the commotion and ran back towards Jack's room. He and Kasumi were holding each other and she was crying into his dark blue shirt.

"Is everything okay?"

Jack nodded. "I think so. It was just a bad dream."

"Okay. I'll leave you two alone and go make some coffee."

Jack watched Myamoto leave, then he turned back to Kasumi. "What happened?"

"H-He keeps killing me. No m-matter what I do, I always die."

"Who?"

"I d-don't know," Kasumi sobbed.

She continued to cry for almost twenty minutes, and Jack knew it had to have been something very serious. After she had calmed down, Jack stood up.

"I know it's a little later than you expected, but your back. I've got something special in the fridge for you. Can you walk?"

Kasumi wiped her face again. "I'm not sure."

Jack watched as she slowly moved to the edge of the bed and put her slender legs over the side. She reached up and leaned on his shoulder and tried to climb to her feet. As soon as she was standing, she began to falter and Jack quickly caught her before she collapsed.

"Maybe you should sit back down. You're not ready, yet," Jack said.

Kasumi lay back down on the comfortable bed and sighed. Her attempt to walk reawakened the piercing pain in her hip. For some reason her shoulders still hurt almost as badly as her hip, shooting sharp excruciating pains through both of her arms, even though the drug had long since worn off.

Jack noticed Kasumi's wincing. "I'm sorry, you shouldn't be trying to walk so soon. Do you want some ice?"

She shook her head. "No thanks, Jack. I'll be okay for now, I think."

Jack looked at Kasumi and thought about the files Myamoto had shown him. "I know everything, you know. There's no need to hide anything from me anymore."

"What are you talking about?"

Jack sighed. "Shinobi. I know what you are, and I don't know why you felt the need to keep it from me. It doesn't change my opinion about you. I still like you, Kasumi. I'll always like you."

She closed her eyes and let the information soak inside her brain. "How did you--?

"Myamoto showed me a file about your sister from Smith's database. It clearly identifies Ayane as yours and Hayate's half sister."

Kasumi tried to focus her thoughts, but everything seemed to be blurring together. "I couldn't say anything, Jack. I didn't want to endanger you."

"Endanger me? Why would I be in danger?"

Kasumi took a deep breath, swallowed hard and opened her copper eyes. "It's complicated. Just promise me you won't tell Hayate anything. I'll answer everything if you promise me that."

Jack nodded. "You know I won't say anything to him. The first thing I want to know is why you don't live in the village?"

Kasumi swallowed again. It seemed like her throat was tightening up. "The village was attacked by a man named Raidou. Hayate was trying to stop him, when he....uh....he was...."

Jack noticed Kasumi's eyes were unusually glassy. "Kasumi, are you feeling all right? You look a little flushed."

She closed her eyes and tried to make sense of the swirling thoughts inside her brain. She quickly became very dizzy and raised her hand to her forehead. "I-I don't feel so good," she mumbled sluggishly.

Jack took on a worried expression. "What's wrong?"

Kasumi's head began to throb. "I don't know..."

Without warning, blood started dripping from her nose and all over the white pillow. Then she coughed loudly, spurting even more blood onto the bed.

"Holy shit! Kasumi, what's happening?!"

Kasumi's big copper eyes filled with hot tears. "I can't feel my--ahh!" She let out a short painful cry as a sudden burst of pain flooded though her sore body.

Jack grabbed a towel out of his bathroom and cleaned her face. She slowly opened her eyes and everything was out of focus and dim.

"I-It hurts so m-much," she stammered, tears rolling down her face.

Jack wiped away a tear of his own and gently stroked her long red hair, gazing into her deep copper eyes. "I need to get you some help."

He picked up his cell phone and dialed the emergency number.

Kasumi wailed loudly as another sharp pain shot down her spine and spread throughout her body, ending at her fingertips. She quietly sobbed into the bloody towel and hoped she would pass out soon, so she could hide from the pain.

Myamoto came running into the room. "Jack! Ayane's bleeding all over the--," he paused when he saw Kasumi's pain stricken form on the bed, blood was all over the pillow and blanket. "Oh my God."

Jack finished talking with the operator and they said they would send an ambulance immediately. He then picked Kasumi up and carried her into the living room. He set her on the couch bed next to her crying sister. Then he got a towel for Ayane to wipe the blood away from her face.

"Hold on, Kasumi. Help is coming," Jack said worriedly.

Kasumi was just about to say something when she let out another anguished scream. A sharp stabbing pain just pierced into her brain, making the room erupt in an intense flash of color and then blurring as more tears of misery formed in her eyes.

Ayane gasped loudly and clenched her fists into tight little balls, suppressing as much pain as she could. She hoped Kasumi wasn't feeling the same extreme pain in her viscera as she was. It felt like someone had just dumped her into a giant blender.

Just then Hayabusa and Hayate walked into the room. When Hayabusa saw Ayane he rushed to her side. "What happened?!"

"I don't know," Jack said. "They were just fine a second ago."

Hayabusa looked at Ayane's bloody face, not knowing what to do. She closed her eyes and grasped Ryu's hand in her own, tightly squeezing his fingers. "Don't let me die, Ryu."

Hayabusa didn't know how to respond. He simply placed both his hands over Ayane's and prayed she would make it. But it didn't look too good.

Jack kneeled down and leaned close to Kasumi. She wasn't talking, but she had begun to sweat and shiver. He held her hand in his own and noticed that she was freezing.

"She's so cold..."

Hayabusa nodded.

Hayate stood frozen in the doorway, his worst fears unfolding before him. What was happening? He watched the shivering forms of his sisters and a cold realization swept through him. They might not survive.

Kasumi squirmed in agony on the fold out couch next to Ayane, clutching her abdomen tightly with both arms. Her hip felt like someone had just taken a power grinder and jammed it into her skin, and her bullet wounds felt much like she had just been shot all over again. She let out an anguished howl of torment when she could no longer contain her agony, and Jack's hatred for Smith grew even more. He took Kasumi's blood soaked towel and threw it in the bathroom Then he came back with a fresh one and handed it to her.

She clutched the towel in her hands and started to clean her face. As soon as she relaxed, Kasumi's throat started to burn. She coughed loudly, spewing large amounts of her blood all over the couch and nearby floor. Jack gaped at the sight of it.

Ayane simply focused on Hayabusa's warm hands and tried not think about the fear welling up inside her. But when she saw Kasumi's blood soaked form lying next to her, she couldn't help but be afraid. But she wasn't afraid only for herself. She was surprised to see that she was worried about her sister as well. Then Ayane started to feel the unbearable burning coming back. However, it seemed like it was more than just burning. It felt like being melted from the inside out, and this time it was much worse than before.

Kasumi felt it as well. "M-make it go away. It b-burns," she sobbed.

Jack softly placed his hand on her forehead and was shocked to see that instead of freezing, she was burning up. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders in a tight hug. "I don't know what to do," he said sadly. "I'm so sorry, Kasumi."

She barely felt Jack's embrace. It seemed like the intense burning was beginning to numb her body. "Please..." she said weakly, tears flowing down her face. "I can't...take any more..."

Kasumi opened her mouth to say more, but instead she coughed again, staining Jack's blue shirt with her blood.

Ayane wiped her face again and looked sadly at Hayabusa. She knew the futility in asking him to help her, but she couldn't help but hope that he could somehow do just that. Kasumi was still crying for Jack's help, and Ayane saw how much it broke his heart when she did.

"Jack, get some ice," she said hoarsely. "Maybe that will help."

Jack nodded and ran over to the fridge. He quickly retrieved a white bucket of ice from the freezer and ran over to them, dropping a few ice cubes along the way. Then he went and got a box of plastic bags and started to fill them with the ice.

Jack handed a full bag to Ayane and then placed one on Kasumi's forehead. She winced as she adjusted to the dramatic temperature change, but soon she looked relieved. Jack was relieved as well.

"Kasumi will be--" Ayane was cut off when she started coughing, sending more of her vital juices onto the bed and all over the floor beside Hayabusa.

Just as Ayane was coughing, the paramedics burst through the door.

"Holy sh--" the first one started. The second one just stared in disbelief.

"C'mon guys! Get to work!" The third paramedic yelled.

Jack let go of Kasumi's hand and stepped back as two medics started to carry her out the door. Hayabusa helped the other one carry Ayane.

Jack followed the medics carrying Kasumi and watched as they placed her on a stretcher in the hallway. Hayabusa and the other medic did the same for Ayane.

"Don't leave me," Kasumi said weakly.

"I'm not going to. I promise," Jack said. He followed the paramedics to the ambulance outside.

"I want to ride with her," Jack told them.

They looked at each other and then the one facing him nodded. "Sure."

The third paramedic called for another ambulance to take Ayane. Then Myamoto and Hayate ran out of the doors. Jack climbed into the ambulance and then they left for the hospital.

Kasumi grasped his hand once again and looked at him with tearful eyes. Her hip burned badly and her head felt like it was about to explode. She was starting to have a hard time breathing and she coughed more frequently. Jack watched with tears of his own as Kasumi sank into a painful unconsciousness.

"Kasumi?" he asked worriedly.

She mumbled something, but Jack couldn't understand her.

Jack let go of her limp hand as the paramedic attached an oxygen mask to Kasumi's face.

"Is she going to be okay?" Jack asked.

That paramedic looked at him. "I don't know."

* * *

_Sunday, December 25_

_12:44 P.M._

_Jack's Apartment_

Hayate glanced at Myamoto. "Go home. Jack will probably call you later."

Myamoto looked at Hayate and decided it would be best to get as far away from any Shinobi as he could. He turned and started down the street.

Hayabusa had gone in the second ambulance with Ayane. Hayate decided to go back into Jack's apartment. He needed to see something.

When he arrived in the apartment he looked around. There was blood all over the living room floor. There was much of it on the wall, and the couch was soaked. He walked slowly into Jack's room and spotted the large bed. The blue comforter was stained with Kasumi's blood, and the pillow was colored crimson.

He walked sadly up to the black duffel bag containing Kasumi's things. Jack must have placed it on the bed the night before. He picked up Kasumi's elaborate blue kimono and placed it on the bed. Then he spotted what he was looking for. Lying neatly on Kasumi's sleeveless white kimono, was the picture of Ayane and Kasumi playing on a swing set. He took it out of the fancy brass and silver frame and gazed at the old photograph. He remembered this swing set. He let his memories of Kasumi and Ayane wash over him. Things were much simpler when they were kids. Kasumi used to laugh happily with Ayane as they swam together in a nearby pond and he wished things could return to normal. But the council would never approve of Kasumi's return.

He put the picture back in its frame and set it down on Kasumi's blue kimono. Then he sat down at the kitchen table. He noticed the file on the table top, and decided to give it a peek, curiosity getting the better of him. He was astonished to find a file on Ayane, clearly identifying her as his sister and a known Shinobi. It also stated Kasumi was her sister as well. This meant only one thing.

"Jack knows," Hayate said slowly.

He thought about eliminating him, but then he realized what it would do to Kasumi. It would crush her already damaged spirit if Jack was killed because of her, and he knew it. Besides, after everything Jack has done for his sister, how could he kill him? The man saved Kasumi's life twice without hesitation or concern for his own well being. But he had no choice. Jack Wallace must now be killed, just as his sister must also be eliminated. There was no way out of it.

But he could not bring himself to kill them, so he thought long and hard about some way to avoid the problem. He picked up the file and placed it in a satchel at his side. He would wait for everyone to return, then he would discuss an important idea.


	23. Chapter TwentyTwo

**DISCLAIMER:** I DO NOT OWN ANY DEAD OR ALIVE CHARACTER. THOSE CHARACTERS BELONG TO TECMO, LTD. AND TEAM NINJA. I AM IN NO WAY INTENDING ANY COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT AND I'M NOT MAKING A PROFIT FROM THE USE OF THESE CHARACTERS. ANY CHARACTER NOT A PART OF DEAD OR ALIVE IS MINE AND MINE ALONE.

**Chapter Twenty-two**

_Sunday, December 25_

_12:48 P.M._

_Streets of Downtown_

Shark heard the far away sirens of the ambulances, but he thought nothing of it. The sirens just made him think further about his shattered beliefs. He had done so many unspeakable things in the name of greed and anger. Most times it was easy, but with the red headed girl it had been nothing short of pure evil. She had begged for him to stop hurting her, but he didn't. For almost a week he had brutally tortured her, physically and mentally. Now she was more than likely dead.

Someone grabbed his shoulder and roughly turned him around. "I need answers. You're Shark, right?"

He looked at the large man in front of him. "That's my name. If you want answers your talking to the wrong man."

The man took a step back. "I'm Bayman. I hear you used to work for Smith. Your latest victim was a girl named Kasumi, was it not?"

_So that was her name._ "What is your point?"

Bayman shrugged. He had a grudge against her for almost beating him. It was all her fault that Jack had fought him, and he hated to lose. "I want to know everything you know about her."

Shark shrugged. "I don't know anything. I want you to tell me who killed Duncan. What has happened to Kasumi? Is she still alive?"

Bayman laughed. "Ask Jack Wallace. He'll give you everything you want to know."

Shark wanted to know more, but Bayman had already left. He sighed and looked in the phone book in a nearby phone booth. He stopped at Wallace. It was fairly easy to find the name, since it was obviously not Japanese. It gave a local address and he decided to go check it out, since he had nothing to lose. He ripped out the page and started walking toward Jack's. He didn't know why he suddenly found himself caring about these things. It was the same feeling he had felt when he let the girl go. Maybe he could help take down Smith, or at least satisfy his guilty conscience.

* * *

_Sunday, December 25_

_12:54 P.M._

_Ambulance_

Jack rode in the speeding ambulance with ever increasing worry and sadness. The paramedic had failed to revive Kasumi. He said she had slipped into a coma, but Jack was refusing to believe it. She had done so well last night, and then this morning everything had fallen apart. What was happening to her? Why did she have to suffer like this?

"We should be arriving soon," the medic told him.

Jack felt numb when he looked at Kasumi. It was like everything was a horrible nightmare, and he half expected to wake up and see that she was really still sleeping peacefully in his bed. But he knew. He knew when he looked at her, that this was indeed very real.

* * *

_Sunday, December 25_

_1:05 P.M._

_Location Unknown_

The man glanced at his watch and decided it was time to leave Hong Kong. He needed to get to Tokyo and try to organize Dead or Alive from behind the scenes. Donovan should be ready to take applicants soon. He hoped that a bigger crowd would sign up this year, because DOA3 had disappointed him. But then again he realized why such a small number signed up. After all, who wants to risk their life to fight in a silly tournament. People would much rather watch the action from a distance.

Corso had finally returned his email on the previous tournament's contestants. He found that all the contestants signed up for very personal reasons. These people were willing to risk it all for their beliefs and it would be interesting to see who joined the crowd this year. His flight to Japan would leave soon, but he had time for one phone call. He dialed Smith's number.

"Hello?" Smith answered.

"Are you on the way to our rendezvous point?"

"Y-yes, sir. We're on our way to Tokyo now."

He nodded. "Good. I shall meet you in about two hours."

He hung up the phone and boarded the plane. It was time to change history.

* * *

_Sunday, December 25_

_1:07 P.M._

_Charity Medical Complex_

Jack watched as the paramedics carried Kasumi into the double doors of the hospital. They rolled her stretcher down the hall and he looked at her with worry clearly written on his face. She was shivering now, and she was still bleeding through her nose and mouth. Soon, the medics took her towards the rear of the Charity Medical Complex. Jack followed, and a doctor soon joined him. It was then that Jack recognized the man as Doctor Nikata, the same doctor that had treated his shoulder and worked on Kasumi. That seemed so long ago, but it had only been days.

"What's wrong with her?!" Jack demanded.

"Calm down. We won't know for a few hours. I was hoping you could tell me what this young woman had been doing right before she got sick."

Jack took a seat. "She was just sleeping. I--"

Suddenly a female doctor came running towards them. "Come quick, doctor Nikata! Something is happening to the girl."

Both Jack and Nikata ran to where Kasumi was being treated in the ER. She was still shivering, but now she looked much more frail.

Nikata had no clue what was wrong. The girl was still in a comatose state, but something was happening.

Doctor Nikata was amazed at the girl's body temperature. She acted as if she was freezing, but in reality she was burning up. He had an assistant move Jack to the lobby as he examined the girl named Kasumi for the second time.

"Get some ice in here! We need to bring her temp down."

Another assistant ran off to find some ice, while Nikata examined the girl's eyes. They were dilated and it looked like she was being affected by some kind of drug or biological agent. One thing he knew for sure was that he had never seen anything like it, and he hoped he would never see anything like it again. Her nose was bleeding and her breathing was accelerated. Something was going on inside her head. Then he noticed something else.

"Hey, Doctor Makita, take a look at this," he said.

Doctor Makita walked over and examined Kasumi, instantly noticing the same thing that Nikata had noticed. "She's bleeding internally. Let's get her to the OR," she said seriously.

Jack fought the assistant as he was being 'escorted' back to the lobby. "Let me go! I need to see her!"

"I assure you that she's in good hands. Just wait here."

Jack realized that there was nothing he could do anyway, so he took a seat and waited. After about five minutes, Hayabusa walked into the lobby from the back of the hospital. Jack stood up and faced the ninja.

"How is Ayane?" Jack asked.

Hayabusa shook his head. "She passed into a coma about five or ten minutes ago. They won't tell me anything else."

"I'm sorry, Hayabusa. Kasumi isn't doing any better."

Hayabusa and Jack sat down and looked at each other, the same thing running through both of their minds.

Hayabusa decided to bring it up first. "The red liquid. It has to be what's wrong with them."

Jack shook his head. "Smith said I had one minute to save her. I know I cut it pretty close, but it didn't take more than a minute to get to her. I probably had at least ten seconds left." Jack let out a sigh. "But what else could it be?"

Hayabusa looked at Jack. "Smith could have lied. Or maybe there are side effects we didn't grasp."

Jack nodded and walked outside, taking his keys out of his pocket. As he was walking towards his Jeep, Hayabusa stopped him.

"Jack, what are you doing?" Hayabusa asked.

"Take care of Kasumi for me. If I'm not back by the time she's awake, tell her that I should be back soon."

Hayabusa nodded and let Jack go. After he had started the Jeep, he dialed Myamoto's number.

"Hello?"

"Myamoto, I need you to meet me at the police station," Jack said.

"Jack! What's going on? Is Kasumi okay? What about Ayane?"

Jack sighed. "I don't know anything but it doesn't look good. Hide the sample of red liquid you took from Smith's base and come down to the police station. And bring my laptop. I need to prove a few things."

Something then occurred to Myamoto. "Jack, you do realize that the police are still investigating the man you killed in the park. They'll probably arrest you."

Jack nodded. "I know. That's why I need you to bring proof of Smith's existence. I have my digital camera. Just don't forget the laptop."

"Sure, Jack. Be careful."

"Same to you, Myamoto." Jack hung up the phone and continued to the police station.

* * *

Hayabusa was concerned about Ayane and he wanted to see how she was doing, but the doctors wouldn't let him go near her. They said everything was under control, but he had his doubts. Maybe it was because he had seen what Smith had done to Kasumi the first time, or the fact that he had been there first hand last night to experience the tortured screams of Ayane and Kasumi. Whatever the reason, Hayabusa found himself wondering if the girls would make it out alive. He knew Jack would be devastated if Kasumi died, especially like this. And to his surprise he found himself caring more about Ayane than he had expected.

* * *

Nikata had just started to work on Kasumi and he was shocked at what he saw. Her insides seemed to be corroded and her blood seemed to have an unnatural glow to it. Doctor Makita gasped at the sight of it.

"Oh, you poor thing," she said quietly. "We need to stop this bleeding."

Nikata nodded. "Where do we start? There's so much damage here..."

Just then two more doctors brought in a girl with short lavender hair. She was suffering the same symptoms as Kasumi and it was apparent that she was also suffering from internal bleeding.

"Not another one," Makita murmured. "Where did these girls come from?"

Nikata instantly returned his attention to Kasumi and began to start the procedure.

* * *

As Jack drove towards the station, he began to have doubts about his plan. Going to the police was stupid, even by his standards. Being arrested wouldn't help anyone and it would only make things worse for Kasumi and her sister.

But it was the only thing he could think of. What other option did he have? He was out of ideas, and he had no clue where Smith had run off to. The police seemed to be his only chance to flush the dirty little bastard out of hiding. But he wanted to find some other way, anything besides going to the cops. Mainly because the cops wouldn't do anything but put Smith in jail for a few years. Jack wanted that worm to die for what he's done.

Kasumi didn't deserve to be tortured, but he had tormented her for days without mercy. Even now, when she was free, she was haunted in her dreams by her horrible experiences. And why? What reason did Smith have to justify her pain? Was it money? Was it for his own sick and twisted amusement? Or was it something else entirely?

The more Jack thought about what must've happened to her, the more he became infuriated. What right did that man have to take Kasumi, an innocent young woman, and tear her apart?! He was going to make that little weasel pay for this, if it was the last thing he ever did.

* * *

_Sunday, December 25_

_1:37 P.M._

_Streets of Downtown_

Shark sat down on a nearby park bench and stuffed the thin yellow sheet he had torn from the phone book into his pocket. Why bother going to this man's home? He had no idea who Jack Wallace was. For all he knew it could be a trap set up by Smith so he could be killed for his betrayal. But then in the back of his mind, he knew he wasn't going to pass this opportunity up. Something was pushing his to find an answer so he could finally get peace of mind for his transgressions.

And then there was the matter of the girl. Her name was Kasumi, a fact he had never even taken the time to figure out. What kind of monster was he? How could he have done such a thing without even learning her name?

But then he realized something. If he were a true monster, then he wouldn't feel this amazing load of guilt that was bearing over him like a dark cloud. If he were a true monster, like Smith, he wouldn't give a shit whether she was dead or alive. But even though these facts were true, he still felt like an inhuman son of a bitch.

He then realized why he cared. He wanted something that would be impossible to obtain. He wanted her forgiveness. But there was no way that this girl would ever forgive him for what he has done. Why did he expect such an unreasonable action?

It didn't matter why anymore, he just wanted peace. So he pulled the torn phone page out of his pocket and looked at Jack's address. He was close now. So close, but so far away....


	24. Chapter TwentyThree

**DISCLAIMER:** I DO NOT OWN ANY DEAD OR ALIVE CHARACTER. THOSE CHARACTERS BELONG TO TECMO, LTD. AND TEAM NINJA. I AM IN NO WAY INTENDING ANY COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT AND I'M NOT MAKING A PROFIT FROM THE USE OF THESE CHARACTERS. ANY CHARACTER NOT A PART OF DEAD OR ALIVE IS MINE AND MINE ALONE.

_Author's Note: _Well, now that you've all read my revised version, its time to pick up where I left off. Thanks to everyone who's sticking with me on this. I really appreciate it!

**Chapter Twenty-three**

_Sunday, December 25_

_1:47 P.M._

_Police Station_

Jack waited in the parking lot of the police station for Myamoto. While he was waiting he was looking at the photos that had been taken on his camera so far. The first photos were of the dark van that he had found hidden in the woods. After them he saw the photo of the strange symbol in the old garage. He decided to delete this one, since it wasn't going to help his story. Then he saw the gut-wrenching photos of where Kasumi had been held. It broke his heart to see such suffering happen to someone so close to him. All he wanted for Kasumi was for her to be happy, but he didn't know where to start. He would have to talk with her about the Shinobi after she recovered. But he wouldn't push her. If she felt uncomfortable, he would end it right there. She didn't need that kind of stress right now.

Just then Myamoto walked up to him. He wore a worried expression and he looked very tired. "Any news on Kasumi and Ayane?"

Jack solemnly shook his head. "They're both in some sort of coma, last I heard."

Myamoto didn't say anything. There was nothing to say at the moment.

"Where's the laptop?" Jack asked.

Myamoto leaned against the Jeep and sighed. "Jack, I didn't bring it."

"What?! I specifically asked you to--"

Myamoto interrupted him. "This isn't a smart move, and you know it. Why go to the police now, after all that's happened? They won't do anything anyway. At least they won't do anything very fast."

Jack realized Myamoto was right. "I know, but I don't have any leads on Smith. I have to flush him out somehow."

"The police won't flush him out. More than likely they'll make him go even further into hiding. Besides, if you did tell your story do you honestly think they'll believe you?"

Jack sighed. "Don't you think I've already thought of that? Do you think I _want_ to be here?"

"I think we need to take a long hard look at the information on that laptop. When I was reconfiguring the retinal scanner, I had to hack into the mainframe of Smith's facility. Maybe there's some useful information on it."

Jack shrugged and started the Jeep. "Okay. Get in and we'll go get the computer and head back to the hospital. There's no way I'm leaving Kasumi again."

As Myamoto took a seat in the passenger's side of the vehicle, Jack glanced at his watch. It read almost two. As he drove to Myamoto's Apartment, he was lost deep in his own thoughts, again dwelling on how it was his fault Kasumi was suffering.

After they had retrieved his laptop from his apartment, Jack and Myamoto drove back to the hospital. Myamoto hoped everything would be all right.

Jack was thinking the exact same thing. Whatever this red stuff was, he was glad Myamoto took a sample for analysis. The information would definitely come in handy later, he was positive of that. But what he was thinking about more than anything was Kasumi, and if she had the strength pull through her surgery. The sight of her misery had lit a bright flame of anger in Jack and he wanted nothing more than to rip Smith apart, piece by piece.

"Well, where should we start?"

"Myamoto sighed. "I guess we should start with the electronic security files I gathered when I was recalibrating the retinal scanner."

Jack nodded. "Okay. Sounds good to me. I'm going to go see how Hayabusa holding up."

Myamoto gave a slight nod. "I'll tell you if I find anything."

Jack walked up to where Hayabusa was sitting and took a seat next to him. "Anything happen while I was gone?"

Hayabusa shook his head slowly. "Nothing. Nobody's told me anything, so I assume they're still operating on them."

"I figured as much. I sure hope it'll be over soon."

Hayabusa muttered quietly in agreement.

After a few minutes of awkward silence, Jack spoke up. "So, I brought Myamoto back with me. He's looking at some files we gathered from Smith's hideout."

Hayabusa glanced at the hacker who was sitting across the room, hard at work. "Has he found anything?"

"No, he just started. I'm not sure he'll find anything useful, but it's all we have to go on right now. Besides, he needs something to keep him busy."

Hayabusa wasn't really paying much attention to Jack right now. He was thinking of Ayane and what she must've been through. He hoped that she didn't blame Kasumi for all of this when she woke up. If she woke up.

Jack noticed that Hayabusa didn't really feel much like talking right now, and he didn't blame him. Jack wasn't feeling much like talking himself. There were so many things running through his head and he needed to keep busy with something so he ran the scene of the engagement with Smith's men through his head, trying to observe every detail from the moment he stepped out of the elevator until he freed Kasumi from her bondage. Something wasn't adding up. Hayate's disappearance was yet to be explained.

"Hey, Jack, come here a minute."

Jack got out of the chair and walked over to Myamoto. "Yeah?"

Myamoto pointed towards the screen of the laptop. "You see the red area on this map?"

Jack nodded. "Uh-huh."

"That's a sub basement. It's below the area that Kasumi and Ayane were being held on. It looks like it was mostly used for storage, but there are a few strange things about the layout."

Jack became curious and sat down next to Myamoto. "Like what?"

"Well, these rooms are way to small to be practical for storage, unless they're used to store files. If that's the case..."

Jack stood up. "...we could probably find some info there. Great work."

Myamoto got up as well. "You're going back there right now?"

Jack nodded. "Yeah, why?"

"I just thought that you might want to wait for Kasumi to get out of surgery first. I don't think it would be a good idea if she wakes up and finds you gone. She's been through enough as it is. Our little investigation can wait until both of them are safe."

"I guess you're right," Jack said. "I want to be here when she wakes up."

_

* * *

Sunday, December 25_

_7:12 P.M._

_Charity_ _Medical Complex_

After nearly six hours of surgery, Doctor Nikata finished closing Kasumi's wounds. "I think that'll do it. Great work, everyone. It looks like she's going to make it."

He then prepared her bandages with a special medicine that would speed up her healing process as well as prevent any scarring, like he had done before. With any luck, this young woman would be well enough to leave the hospital in a few days.

As the surgeons began to leave the operating room, Doctor Nikata stepped outside and asked one of the nurses to come into the room.

"Yes, doctor?"

Nikata glanced at Kasumi and sighed. "Take her to the recovery area. I need to go talk to the man that came with her."

The nurse nodded and began to wheel Kasumi's stretcher out of the brightly lit room.

Nikata removed his mask and slowly made his way to the waiting area. As he entered the room, he glanced at the clock which read about seven twenty.

Jack instantly stood up and walked up to the doctor. "Is she going to be okay?"

The doctor nodded. "She'll be fine, but I'm not so sure she'll stay that way."

Jack raised his eyebrows. "What do you mean by that?"

"I think you're the one who's been hurting this young woman."

"What?! That's ridiculous!" Jack yelled. "I'm the one who's been helping her."

Nikata looked doubtful. "The first time I examined her, I noticed that she had been exposed to some severe long term trauma. Some of her wounds were almost a week old. However, it didn't occur to me that you may have been the assailant because of your gunshot wound in the shoulder. But now that I see what she's been through these past few days, I'm beginning to think your wound was from her defending herself."

Jack was speechless. "But....I...."

Myamoto noticed that the conversation was beginning to heat up and walked over to them. "What's going on, Jack?"

Jack pointed at Nikata. "This guy thinks that _I_ hurt Kasumi. Do you believe that!"

"No way! You've got it all wrong, doc."

Nikata looked at the new guy who had just walked up. "Then why don't you straighten it out for me?"

Myamoto said nothing and Jack let out a sigh. It was an unbelievable story and he knew how it would sound to someone like the doctor. There really was no reason that Jack could think of for Kasumi's pain. She was just a normal girl, except for the whole Shinobi--

"Shinobi," Jack whispered to himself.

Nikata almost laughed. "Did you just say what I think you said?"

Jack quickly shook his head. "No. I was just thinking of something else. As for the allegations that I was the one who hurt Kasumi, you're way out of line. I can't really explain it to you right now though, but I know that when she wakes up, she'll tell you what happened to her. And then you'll know."

Nikata didn't say anything. Then he cleared his throat. "I'm sure I will. However, her new set of injuries need to be explained right now. From your point of view."

"What kind of injuries?" Jack asked.

Nikata sighed. "She suffered from numerous beatings and intense physical trauma, as I saw from the extensive bruises and small cuts on her torso, arms and face. There wasn't any big gashes this time, thank god, but there were several minor abrasions on her stomach. I also found signs of burning on her wrists and ankles that are consistent with electrical shock. On top of that, there was something I couldn't quite explain...but it caused severe internal damage and bleeding. I suspect it was some kind of biological agent or chemical. Her gunshot wounds were reopened by the assumed beatings and her shoulders had been dislocated as well as her right hip. As it was before."

Jack was horrified. "Oh my god.....no wonder she couldn't stand."

"Poor Kasumi...." Myamoto whispered.

Nikata wanted some answers. "I want to know what happened to her."

Jack reluctantly shook his head. "You wouldn't believe me unless you had been there and seen what happened with your own two eyes. I'm going to wait for Kasumi to tell you, because I know you wouldn't believe it if I was the one who told you."

Nikata thought about Jack's answer. "We'll need to talk--"

A nurse burst into the room. "Doctor Nikata! Doctor Makita is requesting your assistance on her patient. Immediately!"

Nikata put on his mask. "We'll finish this later. Don't go anywhere."

Hayabusa instantly became interested. They must be referring to Ayane. He thought of Hayate and how hard it must've been to see his sisters like that. Especially Kasumi, who he hadn't seen since DOA 3. But as far as the Shinobi were concerned, she was already dead. It was only a matter of time until the hunting parties caught and killed her like some kind of animal. That was one rule that Hayabusa didn't approve of, but there was no changing it. The risk that Kasumi might one day expose the village was real and this seemed to be the only practical way to solve the problem. This situation had shown him that the risk was not unreasonable.

But now she had Jack, and it would be better. He knew that an attack in town was unlikely and arrows didn't go through thick double paned glass, like Jack's windows were made of. She would be in good hands now, and he was no longer obligated to watch over her. He was more worried about Ayane than her sister. Ayane still had a future ahead of her.

_

* * *

Sunday, December 25_

_7:43 P.M._

_Organization__Building__Tokyo_

Smith had just gotten out of his meeting with his boss and he wasn't happy. "DOA4?! He wants me to send a contact into DOA4?!"

Thomas nodded. "That's what he said, you idiot."

Smith shot him a glare. "Do you have any idea how tight the security is in those places?"

Thomas shrugged. "Not my problem."

Smith sighed and looked at the setting sun, slowly sinking behind the Tokyo skyline. He thought about Kasumi and her amazing will to survive. He chuckled at the thought of her pain. By now she would surely be in serious anguish. He may have not been able to get the information he wanted, but he took great comfort in the fact that he had damaged her spirit.

Thomas sighed. "Well, have you decided who you want to send? Most of my men are dead, so you're on your own for now."

"I can't think of anyone off the top of my head, except maybe one person. But she would never agree to go."

Thomas shrugged. "Then I guess you're screwed."

Smith was very frustrated. "I can't believe that this guy is willing to send someone into DOA 4 over the Shinobi. What could possibly be so important about that village?"

Thomas started to toy with his zippo lighter. "I thought you said that there was gold out there or something like that."

"That's what I thought too until he told me that there was no gold. There has to be something else....something of much more importance than mere money."

"Duh, you twit! Of course there's something else out there!"

Smith glared at Thomas. "You had best watch your tongue, before I--"

Thomas was not impressed. "Before you what? Kill me? You know you can't afford to lose my resources."

Smith knew Thomas was right, which pissed him off even more. "Okay, I'm calling her. But I'm going to have to lie to get her to agree. She has too many moral values."

Thomas put his lighter away. "Who are you thinking of?"

"The woman I want to send to DOA 4," Smith said as he retrieved his cell phone from his pocket. "That's all you need to know."

_

* * *

Sunday, December 25_

_7:56 P.M._

_Jack's Apartment_

Shark walked up to the address he had retrieved from the phone book. Jack Wallace's apartment building stood tall in front of him and Shark was surprised to see that he had come this far. He honestly didn't know why he still cared. But the man named Bayman had told him to look for Jack Wallace if he wanted and answers. But he really didn't know what questions to ask first. Maybe he should start with the death of Duncan or the fate of the red headed girl.

Shark walked through the door and shoved the crumpled page from the phone book into his pocket. The thought of seeing that girl again made him feel so dark inside. Her screams haunted his consciousness even now, almost a week after he had let her escape from a fate worse than death. He still remembered the last few words she had said to him. She had asked for his help, and he had refused her. He knew that even though he had freed her, her condition would probably kill her before she reached town. He had condemned her to certain death, and it made him feel so black inside.

But that was another puzzle he had to figure out. Why did he care at all whether the girl was dead or alive? After the things he had done to her, she was probably better off dead. He realized that if she had survived, the memories of the torture would haunt her to the worst degree.

Shark took a seat and waited for a while, wondering if he should go knock on Jack's door, or leave.

Hayate had been waiting in Jack's apartment all day, waiting for someone, _anyone_, to come back from the hospital. He often wondered whether Kasumi was dead, or slowly dying on a stretcher in the ER. But every time he thought about his sister, he remembered that he had been trying to kill her for years. But seeing her again had reopened some old wounds he thought he had gotten past at the end of DOA 3.

When he thought of Kasumi, he felt like the worst man alive. She had sacrificed everything she had for him, and what did he do to show his appreciation? He immediately sent assassination parties to kill her like some kind of barbarian.

It had all started with Raidou's vicious attack on the village. He had rushed out to fight him off, but Ayane beat him to it. When he saw how she was mercilessly tossed aside like a tattered doll, Hayate had let emotions consume him. One of the biggest mistakes of his life. He lost that fight, along with his ability to walk.

When he finally awakened from his unconscious state, he was greeted by a totally different world. He had opened his eyes only to find that Kasumi had run away to avenge him. The first thing he felt was worry and grief, and then anger. She had committed the one crime that was unforgivable by Shinobi standards, and she had abandoned them all. But soon the anger boiled away and only left a deep wound in his heart. He knew she had to be killed, but he could not accept it.

As time passed, he found that Ayane had bottled up her grief towards his injuries and Kasumi's running away, and turned those emotions into a deep hatred of her sister. As the weeks passed, he realized Ayane was drawing further and further into her shell, and she refused to let anyone in. As DOA 2 approached it became crystal clear that Ayane intended to join so she could murder Kasumi.

Hayate then shook away those thoughts and got up from the kitchen table where he was sitting. Everywhere he looked, was the blood of his sisters. In the back of the apartment was Jack's room, where Kasumi had spouted blood all over the bed and floor. Then as he walked back into the living room, he saw the folded out couch and the blood Ayane and Kasumi had sprayed everywhere.

"I've got to get out of here," Hayate muttered to himself.

He decided to head downstairs and continue to wait for someone to return with any news. He made sure to lock the door behind him.

_

* * *

Sunday, December 25_

_8:09 P.M._

_Charity Medical Complex_

After another hour of intense surgery, Ayane was wheeled out of the OR to join her ailing sister in the recovery room. As Karei Makita peeled away her mask, she smiled at Doctor Mitsuo Nikata. "I can't believe we just pulled that off!"

Nikata gave a slight nod. "I know."

His voice was flat and his thoughts were still surrounding the mysterious condition in which these young women were abused. The more he thought about it, the more he disregarded the fact that Jack Wallace was the culprit. From the way he treated Kasumi during her first stay in the hospital, it was highly unlikely that he would harm her in any way. Plus this time there were two women instead of one. He couldn't wait to get some answers from them when they awoke.

Maybe this had to do with that investigation of the park ranger murder case the cops were working on. When the girls opened their eyes, Nikata decided he would call the police immediately.

Makita noticed Nikata's glum face. "What's the matter? We just did the impossible. You should be happy."

"I am. It's just that the injuries were so...horrible. What kind of person would do that to another human being?"

Makita shrugged. "I have no idea."

Hayabusa noticed when the doctor that had been talking to Jack earlier came walking between the double doors, followed by a female surgeon. He got up from where he was sitting and approached them.

"Is Ayane going to make it?"

The doctor smiled. "She'll be fine. Both of them are resting in the recovery area."

Jack took immediate interest in Hayabusa's conversation. "Can we visit them yet?"

Makita sighed. "I know that it's hard to stay separated from someone you care about, but it would be best if you let them sleep for a few days and let their bodies heal. Both of them have just been through hell."

Jack nodded. "I understand."

He knew that Kasumi would feel like crap for the next few days and the doctors were right. She's been through enough without being pestered by any visits. When she was stronger he would talk to her. He was just thankful she was still alive.

He turned to Myamoto. "Want to go check out that storage area?"

Myamoto shut down the laptop and stood up. "There's nothing better to do. Let's go."

* * *

Kasumi had just defied impossible odds. But she hadn't gone through the ordeal unscathed. In her mind, a horrible nightmare continued to replay itself over and over again, causing her to cry even in her sleep. It was unrelenting and even though she was lost in a deep unconsciousness, Kasumi was terrified. Her skin was covered with sweat and a few stray tears rolled down her cheeks as she struggled in the awful dreams.

One of the nurses heard her let out a slight moan and she approached with a cool damp cloth. She dabbed away the beads of sweat dotting Kasumi's forehead and sighed. This poor girl had been through so much pain and suffering and it was amazing she was still breathing. She changed Kasumi's bloody bandages and left the room, on her way to inform the doctor of her delirious state.

Ayane, however, showed no outward signs of stress or nightmares. In fact, it looked like she was perfectly at peace.

As the nurse went down the hall, she found doctor Makita instead of Nikata, who she was searching for. But Makita was just as skilled. One doctor was as good as another.

"Um...one of the girls you operated on, she's having night terrors. Is there anything you can do to calm her down?"

"Which girl are you referring to?"

"The one with red hair."

Makita sighed. _Hasn't she already been through enough?_ "It's a psychological matter. With the trauma she's just experienced it isn't uncommon to be having bad dreams. All we can do is wait until she wakes up."

The nurse nodded. "I see. I just thought I would tell someone in case it was serious."

Makita nodded. "That was thoughtful, but she'll be fine."

The nurse nodded and left, content with the response Makita had given her. Karei Makita watched in somber silence as the nurse walked away, considering this new piece of information.

_

* * *

Sunday, December 25_

_8:23 P.M._

_Organization Compound 32_

Jack and Myamoto strolled into the devastated compound with flashlights flooding the room. There were sparking computer consoles and live wires strewn about everywhere and it looked like it would take a while just to get through the main room. He hadn't realized how much havoc they had wrought during the intense gunfight yesterday.

"So which way is it to the storage area?"

Myamoto consulted a printout of the map form the laptop. He pointed towards the rear of the room with his flashlight. "There should be a door back there somewhere."

Jack nodded and carefully made his approach to the designated area. He didn't see any doors, but there could be another hidden entrance. The place seemed to be riddled with stuff like that.

The more he thought about the storage room, the more Jack wondered what he would find. To be completely honest, he didn't know what he was looking for, and he didn't really care as long as it told him where that coward Smith had scampered off to.

Myamoto finally caught up with his friend and scoured the wall with his flashlight. "I don't understand. There should be a door right here..."

"Damn! Why can't anything be easy for once?"

Looking intently at the wall for seams or any sort of buttons, Jack was growing increasingly more frustrated. After just a few minutes, he gave up. Then something occurred to him.

"Hey, do you think it's opened somewhere else?"

Myamoto was intrigued. "Where are you thinking this switch is?"

Jack simply pointed his penlight towards the room where Kasumi had been tortured. "Up there. When I was looking for the keys to Kasumi's cuffs, I spotted some kind of control panel. I'm thinking there might be some kind of switch there."

"It's possible. Let's go check it out."

A few minutes later, Jack and Myamoto were in the dark interrogation room. Jack suppressed his feelings of sadness and anger as the beam form his flashlight illuminated the frame where Kasumi had been abused. Then he saw it. In the far corner of the room was a pedestal with various buttons and switches on it. Jack approached the control center and was about to press a button when Myamoto interrupted him.

"Don't set off any booby traps."

Jack grinned. "I know what I'm doing. Or at least I think I do."

He spotted the red button first and figured that it was just as good as any other so he punched it and waited. To his horror one of the metal frames began to rise, but not the stretcher that it was attached to.

"So that's how her arms were dislocated! That rat bastard!"

He couldn't imagine the pain that the machine must have inflicted on his best friend and her sister, and he didn't want to try. He hit another button below the red one, which shut the machine off. Then he pressed yet another button that returned the hydraulic frame to it's original position.

As Jack tinkered with the controls, Myamoto examined the torture stations more closely. After only a few seconds he discovered the green and yellow buttons.

Jack looked up form the console just in time to see Myamoto depress a green button, sending sparks flying from the metal cuffs of the frame. Myamoto scrambled to shut it off with the yellow button and remorsefully sighed.

"I wonder what else he did to them?"

Jack shook his head. "I don't want to think about it. At least not until Kasumi is ready to talk."

Myamoto nodded and stepped away from the frame.

Returning his immediate attention to the task at hand, Jack flipped a black switch waiting for some other form of pain to reveal itself, but to his relief a loud clicking noise was made, followed by the sound of a sliding metal door.

He walked over to the window and noticed that where the wall had been before, there was now a staircase. He gazed around the room one last time, searching for any relevant clues before he left. He could almost feel the weight of Kasumi and Ayane's suffering bearing down on him. Jack left the room and started towards the stairs, continuing his search for answers.


	25. Chapter TwentyFour

**DISCLAIMER:** I DO NOT OWN ANY DEAD OR ALIVE CHARACTER. THOSE CHARACTERS BELONG TO TECMO, LTD. AND TEAM NINJA. I AM IN NO WAY INTENDING ANY COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT AND I'M NOT MAKING A PROFIT FROM THE USE OF THESE CHARACTERS. ANY CHARACTER NOT A PART OF DEAD OR ALIVE IS MINE AND MINE ALONE.

_Author's Note: _CYPHER is not my idea. it is the idea of me and a group of people on an IGN forum. I just didn't want them to think I was tring to take all the credit or anything. On with the story, and thaks for all the reviews.I only wish my story were more popular...thanx for reading my story!!

**Chapter Twenty-four**

_Sunday, December 25_

_8:30 P.M._

_Jack's Apartment_

Shark had been waiting in the lobby of the building since early this afternoon, awaiting Jack's return from where ever the man was spending his day. Bayman had deliberately told him that Jack would have answers, but finding him seemed to be a problem. Then it occurred to him that if Jack had killed Duncan, then it was most likely that he had taken the girl to the hospital. And if the man cared enough to kill a man over the pain of the red head, then he must love her very much.

But of course, this was all simply a speculation. But he was well aware that the wounds he had inflicted on her were nearly fatal. In fact, he had only intervened when she was on the brink of death. That was an action he regretted taking so long to do. If the girl was dead then Jack would be at home. No one stays out for almost eight hours without coming home on a Sunday.

So that must mean one of two things: he was in the wrong building, or the girl was still in the hospital. But even with the severe injuries he had deliberately inflicted, she wouldn't still be in the hospital. But there was the remote possibility that she was still there, so he decided to go and check. It was better than waiting around here for another eight hours doing nothing. If she wasn't in any of the town's three medical centers, then he could always come back and keep waiting.

Shark stood up and unruffled his dirty suit jacket. It was embarrassing to wear the same suit that he had been wearing ever since he ran from the Organization Compound, but the jacket hid his shirt, which was still stained with Kasumi's blood, and he had nothing else to wear. He exited the apartment complex and walked down the street. The nearest hospital was the Charity Medical Complex, which coincidentally was the largest hospital in town. It would take him almost three hours of walking to reach the building, but he had nothing better to do.

As he strode down the dark city streets, Shark's thoughts returned to the week he had spent mercilessly wounding that poor innocent girl. How could he expect to receive any forgiveness for what he's done? Why did he even care? And if Jack Wallace ever found out how he had treated her, he was a dead man for sure...unless something totally unexpected happened.

_

* * *

Sunday, December 25 _

_8:37 P.M._

_Organization Compound 32_

Jack and Myamoto wandered deeper and deeper into the depths of the underground base, looking for clues, but still coming up empty handed.

"Are you sure that there's anything down here?"

Myamoto nodded. "I was right about the door wasn't I? There's definitely something at the bottom of these steps."

Jack nodded. "I hope whatever we find is useful. I am getting so damn tired of letting her down."

"You mean Kasumi? Dude, it wasn't your fault she was treated this way. Don't be so hard on yourself."

Jack remained silent, neither acknowledging or denying Myamoto's statement.

Soon they were at the foot of the steps and Jack was greeted by the sight of a labyrinth of walls and boxes. The room was dark, like the rest of the abandoned complex, but this room even felt black like a thick oil.

Jack wasted no time in searching. He walked over to the nearest box and opened it, holding his small black penlight in his mouth. The cardboard container was full of papers about genetic experiments to enhance the human body. What shocked him the most about the vague files was the strange seal on each page in the upper left corner. It was a black eagle contained within a navy blue circle. It was clutching a golden scroll in its talons. The word CYPHER was clearly etched into the upper hemisphere of the circle in silver letters.

But Jack failed to realized the importance of a few papers on some kind of genetic research project being conducted by another mysterious association. One organization at a time was enough for him. He kicked the box aside and looked at Myamoto.

"Is this place organized in any specific way, or should we just keep opening boxes until I find what I want?"

"Just keep opening them up, Jack. There's got to be _something_ we can use."

It was nearly eleven thirty that night when Jack stumbled onto something useful. He had found a lot of information of Kasumi's captivity and treatment in the past few hours, which made his heart ache with unimaginable hurt. He knew the exact details of how she was kept in a frigid dark room with no food and limited water the first week she was taken. Then he saw that she had been constantly abused for the last few days, not even getting a chance to sleep more than a few hours. But there were no names, just records. Records made for the sole purpose of tracking how close they were to shoving her over the edge and shattering heralreadydamaged spirit. He kicked the box aside, knowing that if he continued to read the files he would only get angry.

But what he now held in his hands was something he could use to find Smith, assuming that the document was accurate. It was a list of all the Organization's major buildings and contacts. If he could get one of them to talk, maybe he could track that little worm down and--

"Hey, Jack, did you find something back there?"

Jack nodded and approached Myamoto carrying the small white box. "Let's go. I have something we might be able to use."

As the walked towards the stairs Myamoto eyed Jack curiously. "What's that?"

"Information on all of Smith's previous contacts and employees. There also some blueprints to their HQ in Tokyo."

Myamoto whistled. "Jackpot. But do you have any idea how long it will take for us to read all of those files?"

Jack nodded. "A long time. But it's all we have to go on."

Soon they were back out to the Jeep and on their way back to the his apartment building. Jack realized that if he went back to the hospital, he wouldn't be able to see Kasumi anyway. The doctors specifically asked that he wait a few days before disturbing her, and the last thing he wanted to do was impede her recovery. As he drove down the dark city streets, Myamoto peered inside the white box scanning through the various reports and documents stored inside.

There were many interesting things inside, but what caught his attention first were the blueprints. The building in Tokyo was massive, to say the least. It was a skyscraper disguised cleverly as an office building above the surface, but below the building was a massive underground maze of rooms and hallways.

"Geez, you'd think this guy was a mole in a previous life or something."

Jack chuckled. "Then he should be happy when I bury his sorry ass."

They pulled into the parking lot of Myamoto's building first. He turned to his friend. "Take this box and look it over for me will you? Call me if you find anything else. I'm going back home and try to clean up the massive mess."

Myamoto stuffed the blueprints back into the box and nodded. "Sure. See you later."

After Jack dropped Myamoto off, he headed back to his own apartment, not wanting to face the incredible mess that had been made there. He couldn't sleep until he had cleaned up either the bed or the couch because both were stained with blood.

How had things gotten so out of hand? Suddenly everything was in chaos. All he had wanted to do was help the person who meant everything to him. And now both Kasumi and Ayane were lying in a hospital, fighting for their lives.

He pushed these thoughts aside. It wasn't doing anyone any good to dwell on the events of the previous weeks. It was time to move on.

Unfortunately for Jack, he had no idea that the past wasn't going to let him off the hook that easily...

_

* * *

Monday, December 26 _

_10:02 A.M._

_Jack's Apartment_

Shark had gone to the hospital, and confirmed two things. Kasumi was alive and recovering, but not from the injuries that he had inflicted. It seemed that this wasn't the first time she had been treated. Unfortunately, she wasn't allowed any visitors until tomorrow afternoon. And then he could only see her if she was awake.

He wondered what happened to her if she had already recovered once. Had Smith taken her straight from the hospital? It was a bold and foolish move, but one that a man such as Smith was likely to make. That idiot never did know when to let things go, which Shark had noticed when Smith stabbed his knife through Kasumi's hand. Even though it was clear she was in too much pain to say anything useful, that stubborn mule had continued to torment her.

Since he had been stonewalled at the medical center, Shark decided to come back to Jack's and see if the man had returned home yet. He had spent the night in the waiting room and woke up refreshed and ready for thesix mile hike back to Jack's, even through the cold winter air. When he finally arrived, Shark stood before Jack's door not knowing what to expect or say.

_Hey, I'm the man that nearly killed Kasumi. How are you?_

It was stupid to take such a risk. But he ignored his instincts and knocked anyway.

Soon a man wearing a clean white T-shirt and a pair of faded black jeans came to the door. He looked like he was expecting someone else, but didn't say anything. Then finally he spoke.

"Who the hell are you?"

Shark cleared his throat, unsure of what to say. "Are you Jack Wallace?"

"Maybe, maybe not. It depends on who wants to know."

Shark decided to use his wits. "I'm a detective with the local PD. I have reason to believe you know something about the park ranger murder that happened recently."

Something flashed behind Jack's cool brown eyes like lightning, and then it was gone as fast as it had appeared. "Let me see some ID, _detective_."

_Damn!_ "Um--"

Jack grabbed his suit jacket and hauled him through the door. "That's what I thought. I don't give a damn who you are, you know something and your going to tell me what it is right now! I've been through a lot of shit these past few days and I'm sick of it!"

Jack pushed him onto the couch, which was now cleaned as best as could be expected. Shark's jaw dropped as he looked around the room. There was blood staining the carpet beneath his feet and on the wall behind him. The amounts suggested that whoever had spewed the liquid was most likely dead.

Jack dragged a kitchen chair in front of the couch and glared at him. "I asked you a question."

Shark glared right back. "Bayman told me you know who killed Duncan last week. I don't care that he's dead, in fact I'm glad the bastard is gone, I just want to know what he was doing in the woods."

Apparently that was the wrong thing to say. "Bayman? You working for Smith?! Why can't you just leave us alone? She's suffered enough hasn't she?"

Shark shook his head, pretending to know nothing. "What are you talking about?"

"You know exactly what I'm talking about." Jack's tone was icy.

"Just tell me what happened in the park," Shark said.

Jack sighed. "Why should I tell you? How do I know you can be trusted?"

Shark got up. "I guess you can't. I'm sorry I even came."

Jack pushed him back down. He was just as curious as Shark was. "I'll answer a few of your questions if you answer a few of mine."

Shark nodded. "Sure, but tell me what happened first." He was going to have to lie.

Jack told Shark everything that had happened last Friday night, starting with Kasumi leaping in front of his headlights and ending with the moment he pumped Duncan full of hot lead. He left out a few details, though. He didn't mention what he was doing in the forest, or Kasumi's name.

However, when he described Kasumi to Shark he noticed a faint glimmer of recognition in the man's steel blue eyes. That was something that caused Jack to think about this mysterious intruder. "You know her, don't you?"

Shark swallowed hard. "I have no idea what you're talking about. Now ask your question so I can leave."

Jack shrugged. "Who's blood is on your shirt?"

Shark looked down at his stained white shirt and muttered a silent curse. "That's none of your damn business!"

Jack got up and towered over Shark, trying to intimidate. "I answered your question. You're not going back on your word are you? That would be so typical of an Organization thug. You're just like your boss."

Shark stared the young man that stood before him in the eye and glared. "I am nothing like Smith! That slimeball can rot in hell for all I care."

Jack grinned. "So we do have something in common. Now answer my question."

Shark thought hard for a good lie, but drew a complete blank. "I can't tell you. I _won't_ tell you."

Jack was out of ideas for now. He sat down next to Shark. "You have some explaining to do and you're not leaving my sight until I find out how your connected to this mess. Got it?"

Shark smirked. "_You're_ going to hold _me_ prisoner?"

Jack shook his head. "No. I'm not going to lock you up in a room until you talk, although the idea is tempting. But I'm not letting you leave. And from the look of you, I doubt you have anywhere to go."

Shark muttered a silent curse. Jack was right. He had nowhere else to go and he obviously wouldn't be able to go anywhere even if he wanted to.

"If you kill me you get no answers. You have no choice but to let me do as I wish. But fortunately for you, I want to stick around for a while. I might even tell you what you want to know when I'm certain that it will be in my best interests to do so."

Jack knew he was right. He had no choice but to let the man live unless he was willing to kill any lead on finding Smith. But killing him and not letting him leave were two different things, and Jack knew he could keep the man in check. "Fine, you can stay. But I'm going to be watching you very closely. What did you say your name was?"

"Shark."

Jack thought it was a strange name, but he said nothing and switched on the television, waiting for Myamoto to call.­­

_

* * *

Monday, December 26 _

_11:21 A.M._

_Streets of Downtown_

Hayabusa had left the hospital just a few hours ago, finding it more sensible to sleep in the waiting area than on a cold rooftop. He needed to find Hayate. He was probably still at Jack's apartment, so he decided to go back there and check everything out. After all, Hayate had to have been affected by the last few days in some way or another, and Ryu decided it would be best to see if everything was all right.

When he arrived, however, things were not what he expected. As he crawled through the window, a strange man was helping Jack clean the apartment. He walked over to the former private eye and pointed towards Shark.

"Who's that?"

Jack grinned. "My new maid."

"Seriously."

Jack put down a rag he was using to clean his living room wall. "That's Shark. A former employee of a mutual enemy. I've 'convinced' him to help me clean up the place. I'm not letting him leave until he shares some information. So I thought he might as well make himself useful. What are you doing here?"

Hayabusa sat down on the recliner. "Looking for Hayate. You haven't seen him have you?"

Jack shook his head as he resumed scrubbing dried blood off his wall. "Can't say that I have. I thought he was with you."

Ryu shook his head. "Maybe your friend knows something."

"Myamoto?" Jack asked. "Not likely. Besides, he's a little busy sorting through some information we found earlier. I'm sure he'll show up sooner or later. Hopefully sooner than later."

"May I ask who's blood I'm cleaning up?" Shark asked, a little irritated that he had let himself be pressured into helping Jack.

"Sure, I'll tell you. As soon as you tell me who's blood is on your shirt."

Shark muttered something under his breath and continued to clean the carpet. Although he had tried to maintain the illusion that he could leave whenever he wanted, both he and Jack knew that he had no such power. Jack was in control for now.

"Didn't think so," Jack said.

Hayabusa thought about the stranger's name for a moment. Somehow, it seemed familiar, but he couldn't remember where he had heard it before. He shrugged off his struggle to recall the information and again approached the open window.

Jack stopped him. "Hey, why don't you help us out. I'm sure the mighty Shinobi warrior has nothing better to do that clean my apartment."

Hayabusa shook his head at Jack's sarcasm. "I need to find Hayate. And how many times do I have to tell you I'm not Shinobi."

Jack let him go. "Whatever. When you find him, tell him that Kasumi and Ayane should be able to leave the hospital by the end of the week."

Hayabusa nodded. "I'm sure he'll be relieved to hear it. Now, I'll be going."  
Jack shrugged. "Seeya later."

After Hayabusa had left, Shark got off the floor and went into the kitchen for a drink of water. He knew only Jack and Kasumi, but had no idea about anyone else involved. Who exactly was Ayane? Or Myamoto? And who was the guy who had just entered and left through the window? What about Hayate? It made him wonder exactly what he had gotten himself into. He took a big gulp out of his glass and sighed, looking down at his stained shirt. That stain was from an innocent girl. Kasumi. But if he told Jack that information, he could kiss his ass goodbye. So he had no choice but to help. At least until he could speak with the girl.

But he had to admit, helping Jack take down The Organization would be fun. Smith deserved what was coming. However, he would need to attain the girl's forgiveness in order to be of any real use.

"Can I ask you another question?"

Jack sighed. "I hope you're not planning on annoying me until I let you go, because it's not going to work."

Shark glared at Jack. "I think you should bring me into the loop if I'm going to help you take down Smith."

Jack almost laughed. "You want to help us take down Smith? Your boss?"

Shark nodded. "I never liked him. He used way too much excessive force."

Jack was intrigued. "Excessive force?"

Shark shook his head. "I'm not telling you anything. At least not yet. But do you want my help or not. I know things you can use against him."

Jack scoffed. "I'm sure you do. I'm wondering, though, how you plan on helping us if you refuse to share any information. I'm not sure you can be of any use if I can't trust you."

Shark nodded. "I figured you'd say that. But from what I can tell, you and five other people against Smith's entire organization aren't going to do much damage. Whether you like it or not, you need me."

Jack was getting a little irritated. "I can say one thing about you for sure: you're are a cocky little SOB. But you are right. I do need help. I'll think about it. However, I am wondering how you know how many people I'm working with."

Shark grinned. "I'm observant. Judging by your conversation with that guy who was here a few minutes ago, you are working with two girls who are currently in the hospital, a man named Hayate and someone named Myamoto."

Jack nodded in approval. "Very good. I may have a use for you. But right now I need to clean this place up. So let's get back to work. After we're done, we'll talk about Smith."

_

* * *

Monday, December 26 _

_1:56 P.M._

_Myamoto's Apartment_

Myamoto had been going through the white box all morning. Well, not really all morning since he had waken up at around eleven. But he had been looking ever since then and found a lot of useful information he couldn't use.

Sure, the box was filled with contacts and addresses, including the one in the woods and the one under the warehouse. But a lot of the contacts names were in code and he didn't have the key. If it were a computer program he'd have the names in a matter of minutes by checking the program's history and changes in the code. But this was printed on paper so all he could do was go back to the Organization stronghold and hope to find the key.

But that room had been so huge, and finding the box with the information he was looking for would be like finding a needle in a haystack. It had taken them forever to find the white box, and they weren't even trying to be specific. Thinking of how long it would take to find the key was giving Myamoto a headache.

And the maps and addresses were equally as useless. The locations depicted were either too far away to be of any interest or out of commission. The only thing useful he had were the blueprints to the HQ in Tokyo and the map of the warehouse base. There was also a map of the facility in the woods.

Jack wasn't going to like hearing that after all the work they had gone through earlier, they were still empty handed. But he decided to call anyway.

"Hello?" Jack answered.

"Hey, I've got some bad news. That box you gave me is practically useless. Sorry, but we've hit another brick wall."

Jack grinned on the other end of the line. "Don't be too hasty with that decision. I have someone over here that could make all the difference. He claims he hates Smith just as much as us. The funny thing is he used to work for him."

Myamoto was doubtful. "Really? Are you sure he's not just trying to spy on us?"

"No way. If that were the case, Smith's retarded goons would be all over us by now. He's definitely clean. You want to come over? Maybe he could shed some light on the box I gave you."

Myamoto shrugged. "I guess so. I've got nothing better to do. I'll be there in about ten minutes."

"Okay. I'm ordering a pizza for all of us."

Myamoto said goodbye and gathered all the papers into the white box, where they belonged. Then he took a cab to Jack's place, wondering who this new ally was. But if he was good enough to earn Jack's trust so quickly, he was good enough for him. And it would be fortunate if this new guy could solve the mysteries that the box held within it's cardboard walls.

Once he arrived at Jack's, Myamoto walked into the lobby and proceeded up the stairs to his friend's door, carrying the white box under his arm. But the man who greeted him gave him a unexpected surprise. The man who answered the door had ruffled sandy brown hair and piercing blue eyes. His white dress shirt was covered with dried blood and his black suit pants were dirty.

"You the pizza guy?" he asked.

Myamoto shook his head. "Where's Jack?"

Shark pointed towards the couch and let Myamoto through. As he closed the door behind him, he took a drink from a can of soda he was holding.

Myamoto approached Jack and pointed towards Shark. "Who's that?"

Jack grinned. "He's our resident expert. Or at least the closest thing to an expert we're ever going to find. Sit down and have a soda."

Myamoto grabbed a can from the fridge and took a seat in Jack's black leather recliner. He gestured towards Shark. "Who'd blood is that?" he asked cautiously.

Shark simply shrugged and took another drink from his can.

"He won't tell me either. You might as well deal with it, Myamoto. The man has secrets and he wants it to stay that way. If we want any information, we have to gain some trust first."

Shark grinned. "It looks like you know how things work. I'm surprised you could kill Duncan. You're no older than twenty, right?"

Jack nodded. "Twenty-one. And don't be so quick to underestimate me. That's all anyone ever did in Los Angeles and they're all dead."

"L.A.? What are you doing in Japan?" Shark asked.

Jack took a drink of his own soda. "For someone who doesn't like to share secrets, you sure are nosy."

Shark shrugged. "Just trying to make conversation." He pointed towards Myamoto. "Is this your computer geek?"

Myamoto glared at him. "I'm a hacker."

"Whatever."

Jack turned to Myamoto. "He's willing to help us take down Smith, and we could use the help. Maybe we should crack that mystery box of yours and see what's inside."

Myamoto leaned back. "Go ahead. My field of expertise is computers, not paper work. Maybe you'll do better than I did."

Shark dragged the box towards the couch and took a seat next to Jack. He pulled off the lid and grabbed a file folder. Jack did the same and examined some of the papers in the tan folder he had just grabbed. Myamoto sighed and grabbed a file of his own. Maybe between the three of them they could get somewhere.

_

* * *

Monday, December 26 _

_2:32 P.M._

_Charity Medical Complex_

Doctor Nikata rubbed his eyes and sat down in a blue chair. The girls that Jack Wallace had brought in were showing vast improvements and were recovering at a remarkable speed. The medicine he used this time was the same that he had used before and would heal them at an amazing speed, not to mention the added bonus of absolutely no scarring.

He was glad that they wouldn't have any physical signs to show what they've been through. They would be reminded enough from their memories without having to see it everyday of their lives. But even though they would look as good as new, Nikata knew that they would feel far from perfect when they regained consciousness.

He walked down to the room that they were sharing. Only a blue curtain separated them from each other and right now it was retracted. Both of them were still sleeping and it was immediately apparent that the red head was still having nightmares. He felt sorry for her, but there was nothing more he could do until she woke up.

Just as he was about to turn and leave, doctor Makita entered the room behind him.

"Karei, how long do you think they'll have to stay here?"

Doctor Makita shrugged. "Normally, I'd say it would take about a month before they would recover fully, but with that new medicine you've been using, I'm thinking they'll be fine by Friday or Saturday. Why do you ask?"

Nikata glanced towards the girls. "I was just curious."

Karei looked Nikata in the eyes. "I know what you're thinking, but there's no reason to think that it will happen again. Whoever did this to her won't try to steal her from the hospital again and when they wake up we'll let the cops handle it. I've already decided to call them the moment that one of them wakes up."

Nikata still seemed to have his doubts, but he dropped the subject. As they were about to leave the room, Kasumi let out a pained whimper and began to cry.

Makita sighed and almost started crying herself. "That poor girl. She's been like this ever since she left the OR. I can only imagine the horrors that the pain has inflicted on her mind. It's heartbreaking isn't it?"

Nikata muttered a silent agreement.

Karei walked over to Kasumi and gently dabbed her sweaty skin with a cool damp cloth one of the nurses left on a nearby table. Kasumi seemed to calm down as Makita brushed away the fall kunoichi's tears. After a few seconds she was normal again, or as normal as she has ever been since her captivity.

After Makita was sure Kasumi was calm, she changed her bandages and checked Ayane's status. She was surprised to see that Ayane was still sleeping peacefully, but was also thankful only one of the girls was having nightmares.

Soon Makita and Nikata left the room and tended to their other patients, but both their minds remained on the special cases of Kasumi and Ayane.


	26. Chapter TwentyFive

**DISCLAIMER:** I DO NOT OWN ANY DEAD OR ALIVE CHARACTER. THOSE CHARACTERS BELONG TO TECMO, LTD. AND TEAM NINJA. I AM IN NO WAY INTENDING ANY COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT AND I'M NOT MAKING A PROFIT FROM THE USE OF THESE CHARACTERS. ANY CHARACTER NOT A PART OF DEAD OR ALIVE IS MINE AND MINE ALONE.

**Chapter Twenty-five**

_Monday, December 26_

_3:45 P.M._

_Jack's Apartment_

Jack put down the file he was holding and leaned back on the couch. "Is anyone else tired of doing this?"

Shark raised his hand. "I am. This is obviously getting us nowhere."

Myamoto continued to rummage through the papers and take notes. Jack grabbed the last slice of pizza and looked at him. "Relax for a few seconds. We'll get back to the information later. Right now there's no real rush. Both Kasumi and Ayane are safe and sound. For once we can be the ones to cause Smith some pain."

Myamoto nodded and put down his notepad. "Yeah, I guess we should take a short break."

Jack glanced at Shark as he took another bite of his pizza. "So where in the States did you come from? Let me guess. Missouri?"  
Shark shook his head. "Nope. I was a city boy, just like you. I was raised in New York City."

Myamoto grinned. "I don't think I've ever worked with so many Americans. So why did you leave?"

Shark shrugged. "Job offer."

Jack finished the last bite of his pizza and washed it down with the rest of his soda. "New York, huh? California is way better than that freezer."

Shark nodded. "You don't have to tell me that. I always wanted to go to California, but I never found the time."

"So now that we're being honest, you mind telling me who's blood you're wearing and why it's there?"

Shark grinned. "Nice try, but no chance. I'll tell you when I'm ready, so quit pushing me."

Jack shrugged and stared at the box on the floor, knowing that eventually he would find out everything. Then something occurred to him. "Hey, Myamoto, take another look at the blueprints of the Forest Park facility."

Shark remembered that place. That was the same compound that he had kept Kasumi in dark cold room, tormenting her. That was the same place that still haunted his conscience. If he showed any outside signs of regret or any other emotion, Jack might get suspicious, so he remained stoic.

As Myamoto retrieved the requested blueprints, he questioned Jack's newfound interest. "What are you looking for? We've already been all over these maps."

Jack grabbed one of the pages from Myamoto and pointed to a small rectangular room. "That's where Kasumi was being kept." His finger glided down the hall and towards the stairs that lead to the upper rooms. Then he stopped in the big building. "I want to know what was in this place. Why would Smith need so much room?"

"He didn't. That was a storage area, but a few years back he found a better place to keep his junk. That room's been empty ever since. Where are you going with this?" Shark asked.

Jack looked at Shark. It felt weird to be working with someone who used to be the enemy. "What kind of junk?"

Shark shrugged. "Safes, gold, computers, and a bunch of other crap. Nothing real great. Why?"

Jack pressed on. "Where is this 'junk?'?"

"How the hell should I know? Smith never told me anything important like that. But I'm telling you there's nothing important that you're missing."

Jack sighed. "I thought that maybe....never mind. My idea probably wouldn't have worked anyway. We'd be better off going back to the warehouse compound if we want anything else to work with. Maybe Shark could show us something we missed."

"Sorry, but that's gonna be a little hard. I only worked in Installation 21. I don't know anything about his place on the docks."

"Great," Jack muttered. "More good news."

Myamoto looked at Shark, then at Jack. "Hold on a second. We could go back to the forest facility and look there for clues. With Shark working with us, we might be able to find something that could actually help."

Jack nodded. "I suppose that might work. What do you remember about that place, Shark?"

Shark thought a moment and sighed. "I remember that hole in the ground like the back of my hand. But before we go through all that trouble, I think we should make sure that there's nothing in the box that we can use. Installation 21 isn't my favorite place in the world and I'm not anxious to make a trip back."

Just then something else occurred to Jack. "Hey, you said you worked there. Do you know who hurt Kasumi?"

Shark pretended not to recognize the name. "Kasumi?"

Jack nodded. "You remember the girl I told you about that Duncan shot in the park? Her name is Kasumi."

"Oh, yes, I remember that. I'm sorry I can't tell you who the actual interrogator was, but I remember Smith wanted something very valuable that she knew about. I don't think he ever got it though. More than that, I can't tell you."

Jack nodded. "That's fine. I'm sure I'll find out eventually and when I do, I'll kill him."

Shark gulped involuntarily and took a drink of soda. "Why do you care so much?"

Jack looked at Shark as if he were a moron. "I thought I made it clear when I told the story the first time. I love Kasumi more than anything or anyone. Seeing her get hurt like this....I can't stand it. Did you know she cries in her sleep because of what happened? She can't even walk anymore because of those bastards, and she probably won't be able to for a few more weeks. You were smart to quit Shark, or I might've had to kill you."

Shark laughed uneasily. "Yeah, good thing. I guess we should hurry up and finish sorting through this box."

As they began looking at the files once again, Shark sighed. How was he going to keep form getting himself killed? If Jack learned that he was the one who had done this to her, he was as good as dead. But if he could get Kasumi to forgive him, which was a very long shot, maybe Jack would do the same. Besides, his expertise on The Organization was something Jack and his group couldn't afford to lose.

But the thought that because of what he did, Kasumi couldn't even sleep peacefully or walk anymore, only compounded his guilt. He hoped that she would wake up soon, because he needed to clear his mind. He needed her to know he was sorry. But would that be enough? Shark didn't think so.

_

* * *

Monday, December 26 _

_4:10 P.M._

_Streets of Downtown_

Hayabusa had been looking for Hayate, but having no luck in finding his longtime friend. After a few hours of strenuous searching, he was finally rewarded for his efforts. Hayate was sitting on a park bench near the Okashima square, clearly lost deep in his own thoughts. Ryu took a seat next to him.

"Jack told me to tell you that the girls will be fine. He expects them to be out of the hospital by the end of the week."

Hayate looked doubtful. "The end of the week? You saw how bad they had been treated. You saw how much blood they had coughed up. That seems a little soon to me."

Hayabusa shrugged. "Kasumi made a remarkably fast recovery the first time she was in the hospital. There's no reason to believe she won't do the same this time."

Hayate remained quiet.

Ryu sighed. "Stop worrying about them."

Hayate shook his head. "It's not the girls that I'm thinking about. It's Jack. He knows everything."

Hayabusa thought this over for a second. "You sure?"

"Positive. There was a file on his kitchen table about all kinds of Shinobi in the village."

Ryu muttered a silent curse. "There's only one thing to do."

Hayate shook his head. "I know what needs to be done, but I don't think I can do it. After seeing Kasumi's pain and Jack's courage and sheer will to save her, I don't think I can bring myself to kill them."

Hayabusa looked at the afternoon sky. "Kasumi made her decision when she left and Jack was just in the wrong place at the wrong time." But the more Hayabusa thought about Jack, the more he hated the Shinobi's code. Not to mention that Kasumi would have to die for doing nothing more than caring about her family. "We'll discuss this later, but right now there are more important things to worry about than Kasumi's and Jack's fates. I'm sure we'll find a way to resolve that matter later. What I really wanted to discuss is the fact that Jack has now made a former Organization employee our ally. But I don't trust the man."

Hayate was intrigued. "Really? What's his name?"

"Shark."

Hayate muttered something under his breath and sighed. "Well at least we have someone who knows a thing or two about what makes Smith tick. We may actually be able to beat this guy."

Hayabusa nodded. "Unless Shark isn't what he appears to be. I think we should go back to Jack's place. There's nothing we can do sitting around here."

Hayate nodded and stood up. "Okay. You lead the way. I usually send Ayane to town for supplies so I don't quite know my way around yet."

Hayabusa stood up as well and gestured for Hayate to follow him. About two hours later they were knocking on Jack's door and Shark once again answered, wearing his bloody shirt and dusty pants. Hayate's face showed no outward signs of surprise or any other emotion, but he was caught off guard by the man's appearance to say the least. Hayabusa stepped inside and Hayate followed. After Shark closed the door he pointed to Hayabusa.

"Hey, you're that guy who climbed through the window this morning. I guess you must be Hayabusa?" He moved his finger to indicate Hayate. "And that would make you Hayate, right?"

Hayabusa ignored the man and sat down on the couch, not making any effort to hide his dislike for the former Organization thug. Hayate did the same and leaned against the back of the door, not even acknowledging Shark with a glance.

Jack and Myamoto came out of the kitchen where they had been discussing some information that was stored on the laptop about Installation 32. They had been comparing that information with the photos Jack had taken of Installation 21 in an effort to spot some similarities in Smith's habits and the layout of the two bases.

Shark pointed towards the ninjas. "You're friends are being a pain in the ass."

Jack nodded. "Yeah, they do that sometimes, but it grows on you. I see you found Hayate."

Hayabusa nodded. "We came to see if there's anything we could do to help."

"Perfect timing, guys. The three of us were just going to go check out Smith's facility in the woods and see if there's anything useful there."

Hayate furrowed his brow in confusion. "In the woods? But Kasumi was being held at the docks. Why do we need to go in the woods?"

Shark scoffed at Hayate's ignorance, but quickly stifled his attitude when the Shinobi leader shot him a fierce glare. It was immediately obvious that Shark wasn't going to be getting along with the ninjas for a while.

Jack sat down in his recliner and explained to Hayate the entire story. "Before you joined the show, Kasumi was taken to a facility in Forest Park to be tortured for some reason I have yet to figure out. But she escaped somehow and I managed to get her to the hospital before she died from her wounds. Barely. Anyway, during her recovery a slime ball by the name of Bayman took her to the docks so her questioning could be continued. Therefore, we are going to the woods, where Kasumi was initially being held captive."

Hayate nodded, now understanding the reasoning. "But why go there? The most recent information would be at the harbor, wouldn't it?"

Jack nodded. "Yeah, but Shark never worked at the docks. He only worked at Installation 21 in Forest Park. So that's where he'd be most helpful."

Shark was the one to ask the next question. "I 'm curious about something. I know who you are," he said pointing to Jack, "and I also know who Hayate, Hayabusa, Kasumi, and Myamoto are. But earlier, I overheard the name Ayane while I was helping you clean this dump. Who is she?"

Jack sighed. "Kasumi's half sister. Smith wasn't satisfied with terrorizing Kasumi alone, so he must've figured he'd take her sister too. They're both in the hospital right now."

Shark nodded. "And you say Smith hired someone to take Kasumi from the hospital while she was still recovering? That bastard is even more stupid than I thought."

Jack nodded. "Yeah, I know. So are we ready to leave, or are we going to sit here and talk all day?"

Myamoto grabbed the laptop from off the kitchen table and gave Jack a thumbs up gesture. Hayate nodded as did Hayabusa. Shark simply sighed and muttered a reluctant affirmative as he put on his ruffled suit jacket.

The main reason he wasn't looking forward to the trip was that it might expose what he did to Kasumi. But if he played his cards right, he might get out of this alive, and with a few new allies. But he had to be extremely careful.

They all walked outside and piled into Jack's Jeep, making space very limited. On the way to the forest, Jack thought about Kasumi and wondered if she was doing any better. He hoped that she would wake up soon. He desperately wanted to talk to her and see if he could do anything to ease her pain, or at least make her forget it for a while. It hurt to see her suffering, but if he could do anything to alleviate it, he would do so without hesitation.

Jack also wondered how she would react to Shark, an ex-Organization employee. He knew it probably wouldn't be a big problem, since Kasumi was such a kind and gentle person, prone to forgiveness. It was likely she didn't even know the man at all. But the experience of being tortured without mercy or compassion would leave its scars on her mind and Jack wasn't sure she would ever recover from it.

After about four miles of slowly navigating through the dense woods outside the Okashima city limits, Jack spotted the abandoned compound, the door still wide open the way he had left it.

It was nearly eight o'clock that night and it was hard to see through the thick winter darkness shrouding the old underground building. The only light they had to work with was Jack's black pen light, and that wasn't much help.

"Isn't there some sort of back up power supply?" Myamoto asked.

Shark nodded. "Yeah, but it's in the far back of the lower half of the base. I suggest we head down there first and then we can get down to business."

Jack nodded. "Good plan. Let's go."

Hayabusa and Hayate decided to watch the door in case there were still active cameras in the area. Jack shrugged and followed Shark into the depths of the facility, Myamoto trailing close behind him. Jack felt a strange weight of sorrow fall upon his shoulders as he once again walked down the halls that once echoed with the agonized screams of the girl he loved.

In just a few short minutes they had found the generator room, but to Jack's disappointment it would need some quick repairs and a fresh tank of gas.

Shark sighed and took a good look at the corroded machine. It looked like the generator had been broken long before Kasumi's questioning, which seemed odd to him. But there was no use wondering about it now.

"So can you fix it?" Jack asked.

Shark nodded. "Give me about half an hour and I think I can get the old girl up and running again."

Jack nodded as Shark opened a nearby toolbox and retrieved a wrench. "I'll go look for some gas."

"What am I supposed to do?"

Jack turned to Myamoto. "Power up the laptop and start analyzing the information we were looking at earlier. Maybe by the time we get power restored, you'll have found something new."

Myamoto shrugged. "I guess it's worth a look. There's nothing else to do."

Shark switched on an old flashlight he had found in the metal toolbox and started working on the outdated machine. There was a lot that needed to be done, but he was confident in his skills to repair the damage.

Jack tightened his leather jacket around his shoulders and returned to the dark empty hall. On the way towards the upper level, he passed the room where he had seen Kasumi's blood smeared on the metal table.

He glared at the door and noticed something was different, but he couldn't discern what it was. The door looked normal and was closed tightly, a large metal padlock securing the entrance. Nothing stood out of place, but it still bothered him. A few seconds later he shrugged of the feeling of uncertainty and proceeded up the stairs, not ever wanting to see the interior of that room again. Those walls still reverberated with Kasumi's pain and he couldn't stand to see the gore that was on the other side of that creaky wooden door.

Hayabusa heard Jack's approach before he actually saw the ex-detective emerge from the shadows. Hayate had also heard his distinct footsteps, but ignored the sound. Instead, he focused his thoughts on how he would deal with the immediate problem Jack presented. The truth was he disapproved of Jack and his relationship with his little sister. The Shinobi code prohibited any sort of relationship with anyone outside of the clan on penalty of death. But Kasumi had already lost so much, so he had decided to play along for the moment. He had absolutely no desire to tear away the last thing she held dear to her heart, knowing it would destroy her if Jack was killed on her account.

As he walked up behind the two ninjas, Jack was still scanning the area for the gas can that was so urgently needed down below. But he was also looking for clues about his mysterious new ally. Shark was being elusive and Jack knew that the man was hiding something big. Even though he was being civil to the man, Jack didn't trust him as far as he could throw him. Unless Shark found some way to prove his loyalty, Jack wasn't going to stop watching him.

"Hey guys, we need some gas before we can get any power flowing through the place, so we need to search that large room for anything that might be useful."

Hayabusa scanned the huge room right outside the double doors they were guarding. "It's empty in here."

"Thank you, captain obvious," Jack said sarcastically.

Hayabusa simply responded with a fierce glare.

Hayate, however, took a closer look at the room and saw something Ryu hadn't noticed. Alongside the exterior wall of the inner building, there was some old equipment piled up next to a barred window at ground level. He pointed this out to Jack. "There's something over there that might be of some use."

Pointing the narrow beam of his small pen light at the junk heap, Jack gave a slight nod. "Yeah, that might work."

Hayabusa reluctantly followed Jack towards the debris and helped him search for some fuel for the generator. Jack, however, had taken interest in the small barred window and peered inside. To his complete surprise, he was gazing at the chamber that contained the blood stained table and bare metal cart. He looked away immediately, clenching his hands into fists.

Hayabusa noticed this action and also looked through the small opening. He immediately recognized the bloody mess from Jack's photos, but said nothing. Instead he simply continued to search through the pile for gasoline.

Suppressing his grief and anger, Jack also began looking for vital fuel that would restore power to the old compound. But his mind wasn't on the task at hand. He was still preoccupied with Kasumi's condition and wondered once again how she was doing. It had been nearly twenty-four hours since she got out of surgery and he didn't know how her recover was progressing. He wished he were at her side in this critical time of need.

_

* * *

Monday, December 26 _

_8:38 P.M._

_Charity Medical Complex_

The first thing she noticed was the horrible pulsating pain tearing through her bandaged chest when she took a breath of fresh air, making her gasp loudly from the sheer agony. And as she tenderly licked her soft pink lips, she could still taste her blood upon them. Her throat was dry and irritable and her skin was moist with sweat.

Kasumi groggily opened her glistening amber eyes and tried with much effort to sit up, instantly crying out in pure anguish when she moved, tears rolling down her flushed cheeks. The pain was so immense that her body went weak on the hospital bed as all her joints turned to rubber. She immediately noticed that her arms were stiff and extremely sore. Her right hip also ached as if someone had pounded it with a heavy iron sledge hammer, crushing her bones to dust.

So she lay very still on the hospital bed, quietly sobbing, even though she had a steady dose of pain killers rushing through her bloodstream.

Ayane had been awake for nearly two hours and had been fuming the entire time. Her hate for Kasumi grew with every second as she thought about the last few days, and she wanted nothing more than to crawl out of bed and strangle her half sister until the last drop of spirit left her tattered and broken body. She hated Kasumi for getting her into this mess, and she hated her even more for stealing the life that could have been hers.

As a child, Genra had been her only family, but Kasumi had a brother, a mother, and father who loved her very much. She lived in a nicer house and had nicer things. Kasumi often shared her wealth with joy and kindness, and Ayane had happily accepted her generosity and played with her when they were children. After all, they had been best friends and had been totally inseparable at the time.

But now Ayane hated Kasumi's continued kindness and viewed it as an insult. Why did she deserve such a perfect life? It wasn't fair that she had been deprived of being part of a real family. No one had even given her a chance.

She recalled submitting to her guilt and feeling sorry for her sister during their captivity, but that time had passed quickly. Ayane was glad she was hurting, but was tired of hearing her pained cries.

"Would you shut up?! I'm so sick of hearing your voice!"

Kasumi stopped whimpering and tried to forget her pain. "S-sorry, Ayane," she sniffled. "I c-can't help it."

Ayane was hurting too, but she must have not been hurting as bad as Kasumi. Her mouth parted in a smile at the thought of Kasumi's misery. _Good, she deserves it._

Closing her shimmering copper eyes, Kasumi thought about where Jack was and what he was doing. Was he still in the hospital waiting for her? Or was he somewhere else? She hoped that he wasn't too worried about her, but she knew that he probably was. She pushed these thoughts aside and opened her eyes once again, glancing over at Ayane.

"Are you okay?" she whispered, barely audible.

Ayane felt anger burn through her like a raging fire at Kasumi's gentle voice, disgusted by her concern. "Shove off, you little brat! I don't need any of your pity," she hissed.

Kasumi was stung by Ayane's harsh voice and she remained quiet, sorrow lurking in her tearful eyes. She looked away from Ayane and said no more, not wanting her sister to hurl any more painful insults her way. As she stared at the dull white ceiling above her, Kasumi felt a stray tear wander down her cheek.

Ayane smiled, but deep down inside she felt something that resembled guilt. But she quickly shrugged away the feeling and ignored Kasumi's sadness the way she ignored her own. She wanted to hurt Kasumi even more, but refrained from speaking due to the continued soreness she was feeling from her injuries.

Having no words strong enough to describe the degree of hurt that ravaged her delicate heart, Kasumi thought of old childhood memories so that she might find some way to ease her pain. But every happy memory she could recall, involved Ayane, her best friend. They would have so much fun playing around the village and exploring the woods together. One memory of when she and Ayane had been playing in the forest flashed through her mind....

_Ayane laughed as she ran through the woods after Kasumi, feeling the wind blow back her long lavender bangs. They raced each other along the narrow dirt path, both their hearts racing with adrenaline as they skipped over small rocks and tree roots that littered the ground before them. The trees whizzed past them and Kasumi parted her lips in a bright smile._

_When they reached the finish area a few minutes later Ayane had beat Kasumi by a few seconds, and she leaned up against a nearby tree to catch her breath._

_As Kasumi crossed the goal line and entered a clearing, she lay down in the soft grass feeling the warm sun wash over her face as she laughed from the rush of the competition._

_"Good race, Ayane," she said with a smile._

_Ayane returned Kasumi's smile with one of her own. "You're pretty fast. Race you back."_

_Kasumi climbed to her feet and dusted herself off. "You're on."_

_When they arrived back at Kasumi's house, Ayame was waiting with a caring tender smile, reflecting her love for her daughter_._ Kasumi was the first to reach the door and Ayane laughed. _

_"I told you you were pretty fast."_

_Kasumi smiled. "You didn't let me win, did you?"_

_Ayane had a mischievous glimmer in her eyes, but denied the fact that she actually had held back. "I would never do that."_

_Ayame kneeled down to face her young child and dusted off her clothes. "You had better go clean up. It's almost time for dinner."_

_Kasumi nodded and_ _gestured towards Ayane. "Okay, Mom. Can she stay for dinner tonight? Please?"_

_Ayame nodded warmly. "Of course she can. Ayane is always welcome in our home. As long as it's okay with Master Genra."_

_"He won't mind if I stay for a while."_

_Kasumi turned to her best friend. "Come on, Ayane! Let's go inside."_

_"Okay."_

_Kasumi walked back to her room and Ayane followed, deeply moved by Kasumi's hospitality. After they had washed their hands, Kasumi gave Ayane a tight affectionate hug and smiled. "I'm glad you'll be staying for dinner. Maybe we can play some more after we eat."_

_Ayane was caught off guard by her friend's embrace, but she returned Kasumi's warm hug and smiled. "I'm glad you invited me."_

_"We'll stay friends forever, won't we?" Kasumi asked._

_Ayane nodded. "Sure, Kasumi. Friends Forever."_

_They both walked towards the dinner area and took a seat next to each other on the floor, and both of them were smiling._

Kasumi sighed sadly and gazed at Ayane wondering what happened to their bond. As she lay on the hospital bed, wrapped in blood soaked bandages and wracked with pain, Kasumi realized that forever wasn't very long. She couldn't help herself from feeling worry for her sister's condition, because she would never stop loving Ayane, no matter how bad things between them got. There was always hope to restore what they once had, and in her mind, they would always remain best friends. Friends forever.

She parted her lips to speak, but words failed her and she kept silent, misery weighing heavy in the air.

_

* * *

Monday, December 26 _

_9:44 P.M._

_Organization Compound 21_

Triumphantly holding the red plastic container in his hand, Jack grinned. "Found some gas."

Hayabusa stopped rummaging through the pile. "Finally. Now maybe we can get something done around here."

Jack gave a slight nod and proceeded to enter the basement halls, leaving Hayate and Hayabusa to continue watching the door. When he arrived in the generator room, Shark gave him an irritated glance.

"It's about damn time! I've been done for almost an hour. You have no idea how tormenting it is to sit here and listen to this computer nerd babble on and on about binary decay and algorithms."

"Hey," Myamoto said. "You asked about how I managed to locate--"

Jack held up his hands, signaling for Myamoto to be quiet, and then he turned to Shark. "Consider it your punishment for working with Smith. I found some gas we can use."

Shark nodded and poured the volatile liquid into the generator's empty tank. When it was full, he yanked on the start up cord and the machine rumbled to life. Jack turned off his flashlight, as did Shark. The overhead lights slowly flickered on and wavered from dim to bright for a few seconds. Then finally they stabilized and power was restored. Shark laughed victoriously and climbed to his feet from where he had been sitting on the floor, dusting of his dirty suit pants.

Jack pocketed his flashlight and took a deep breath. "I guess we should start looking. Did you find anything interesting, Myamoto?"

The hacker nodded. "Yep. There's something that I think we should take a closer look at in the upstairs control room."

Jack nodded. "Let's go then."


	27. Chapter TwentySix

**DISCLAIMER:** I DO NOT OWN ANY DEAD OR ALIVE CHARACTER. THOSE CHARACTERS BELONG TO TECMO, LTD. AND TEAM NINJA. I AM IN NO WAY INTENDING ANY COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT AND I'M NOT MAKING A PROFIT FROM THE USE OF THESE CHARACTERS. ANY CHARACTER NOT A PART OF DEAD OR ALIVE IS MINE AND MINE ALONE.

_Author's Note: _I'm glad people are still reading this story and I appreciate all the reviews.

_Wolf:_ Hey, I hope you don't think my story stinks, but you are right on a few points. The alliance between Jack and Shark did happen quick, but that was mainly because of the fact thatJack knew Shark had something on what happened toKasumi. And this shirt was the only one he had to wear after he left Smith. Anyway, I hope you think it gets better.

**Chapter Twenty-six**

_Monday, December 26_

_9:50 P.M._

_Charity Medical Complex_

Kasumi slowly lifted her head so she could see the door as one of the doctors walked into the room. This doctor was different than the one that treated her earlier, but it didn't matter to her, as long as someone could make her feel better.

"Hello," she whispered politely, her voice weak and frail.

The doctor smiled, but her eyes were filled with pity. "My name is Karei Makita. What's yours?"

Kasumi swallowed hard. "Kasumi," she mumbled.

Karei walked over to Kasumi and took a seat next to her bed. "How are you feeling, Kasumi?"

"My throat hurts."

Karei nodded. "That's to be expected. How's everything else?"

Kasumi swallowed again. "My arms are so sore....and my hip....what happened to me?"

"I was hoping you could tell me."

Kasumi noted the concern in the doctor's eyes. "Don't worry," she mumbled. "I feel better now."

Karei wondered what she must have felt like before if this was better. "So you don't remember what happened? What's the last thing you can recall?"

Kasumi closed her eyes and took a deep breath, ignoring the sharp pain in her chest. "I....was sleeping....and when I woke up....I felt sick. Do...you know what...it was?"

Karei could see that she was having a hard time speaking, but some things needed to be answered. "No, not yet. What happened before you got sick? Before you were sleeping?"

"...Smith..." she whispered. "...hurt....us...."

Karei wanted more answers, but Kasumi had passed out from fatigue. There was no use in pressuring her anymore, and now she had good enough reason to call the police. Makita left the room, wiping her eyes with a white tissue.

Ayane had been awake the entire time and was both angered and saddened by this female surgeon's interest in Kasumi. Why did she care so much about Kasumi and not her? Why hadn't the doctor checked on her yet? She felt so unwanted, just like when Ayame had revealed the truth about her and showed her who she really was...

_She sat on her knees in the large room, nervous and alone. The woman on the other side of the curtain sighed and Ayane wondered what Kasumi's mother had to say to her that was so important._

_"You wanted to see me?"_

_A few seconds of tense silence filled the air as Ayame brushed aside a tear. Finally she mustered up the courage to reveal the truth. "Ayane...the truth is I am your mother..."_

_Ayane let out a shocked gasp and looked at the floor._

_"Forgive me..."_

_Shaking her head and clenching her hands into fists, Ayane rushed out of the room, her vision blurred with tears. She thought of all the times she and Kasumi had played together. All the times they had laughed together and cried together. But that meant nothing now. It was all an act, a cheap sham._

_All the times Ayane had felt alone in the world was because of Kasumi. She had stolen everything Ayane had ever wished for...had ever hoped to achieve...and now she would pay._

_On her way down the darkened streets of the Mugen Tenshin village, she bumped into Kasumi and Hayate._

_"Hi, Ayane!" Kasumi said, beaming with her radiant smile._

_Ayane looked upon her once best friend with tears and anger. "Stay away..."_

_"What's the matter? Are you okay, Ayane?" Kasumi's voice was filled with concern. "You can talk to me. We're best friends and best friends--"_

_Ayane felt like their entire friendship had been a lie. She shoved Kasumi to the ground and ran away with tears in her eyes. "Stay away!! I'm not your friend and I never want to see you again!!"_

_Ayame had deserted her and showered Kasumi with blessings. Blessings that could have been hers too. She felt like trash and only wanted to make their entire family pay. Kasumi's friendship meant nothing now. And as Ayane ran towards her home, she could hear Kasumi sobbing in the street, wondering what she had done wrong._

Ayane sighed and glared at her sister, who was still asleep in her cozy little bed across the room. Kasumi didn't deserve this kind of mercy. She betrayed them all and all she deserved was death. She continued to watch Kasumi and she immediately noticed that her sister was trapped in a terrifying nightmare. Ayane's lips parted in a weak smile as she relished her sister's misery.

Doctor Makita glanced at a nurse as she continued down the hall, remembering Kasumi's condition. She stopped her. "The patient in room 23A needs some pain killers and a glass of water. Could you make sure she gets it? It's very important."

The nurse nodded and walked away.

Karei sighed, again pondering the possibilities that might have befallen the young woman with the red hair. Whatever it was, it had to have been horrible. She thought of the other girl as well, the one with the short lavender hair. She would have to make it a point to speak with her too. She didn't want to look like she was playing favorites, but the only reason she was more concerned with Kasumi was the fact that she was clearly traumatized while Ayane appeared to be fine. But Makita knew that appearances weren't everything and that the other girl was probably just as hurt.

Thinking of this, Karei turned around and walked back towards 23A, wishing to make sure Ayane was all right as well.

Ayane heard when Karei entered the room and her smile faded instantly. "She's sleeping." Her voice was frail and scratchy, but still resentful.

Karei glanced at Kasumi and then back to Ayane. "I know. Actually, I came to see you. My name is Karei. What's yours?"

Ayane rolled her eyes and coughed. "Spare me your false concern. What do you want?"

"I just wanted to see if you're feeling okay. Do you need anything?"

"No, I'm fine. Thanks, but no thanks."

Karei wondered why this girl was putting up such a fight, but let it slide. "If you need anything a nurse will be by shortly. Don't be afraid to ask for help."

Ayane closed her eyes and sighed. "I'm tired....just let me rest."

Makita nodded and left the room.

* * *

_Monday, December 26_

_10:00 P.M._

_Organization Compound 21_

The upstairs computer consoles glowed dimly, flickering on and off from time to time. Shark had said that the power was steady, but the systems had been damaged and a few of them were unable to retain electricity. Myamoto had said that there was something interesting up here, but so far Jack had been coming up empty handed.

"What exactly are we looking for Myamoto?" Jack asked, slightly irritated.

"There was supposed to be a room up here according to the map. This room looked like another storage area or something, but I can't find the door."

Shark sighed. "And I already told you that Smith never mentioned any secret room to me. Why don't you try one of the old consoles?"

Myamoto closed the laptop and reluctantly nodded. "Fine, but I don't think there's going to be anything useful in the database."

Jack shrugged. "Couldn't hurt to look, right?"

Myamoto cracked his knuckles and began typing commands on the keyboard. Soon he smiled and began to scan the shimmering screen intently.

"You find something?" Shark asked, a little surprised and a little worried. He hoped there were no records of his actions. He thought Smith would've purged the system, erasing everything. Apparently he had overestimated Smith's intelligence once again.

Myamoto nodded. "It's a time log of some sort. It seems to be a schedule."

Jack took interest. "A schedule?"

"Yeah. Unfortunately, the data is too degraded to see anything but a few entries made by Smith. It seems to be pertaining to Kasumi's questioning and the progress they made. You'll be happy to hear that she resisted them until the very end."

Jack only responded with a sigh.

Myamoto cleared his throat. "The last entry was on the seventeenth. It says that Kasumi mysteriously vanished along with one of the staff sometime in the middle of the afternoon. It mentions a secondary target, but after that everything's been too corrupted to make out. I'll keep looking for anything else."

Shark let out a sigh of relief.

Jack faced him. "Friday the seventeenth was the same day Kasumi was almost killed by Duncan. Do you know anything about how she escaped?"

Shark shook his head. "I left before that. She was only here a couple days when I quit. I figured Smith would've killed her. Sorry, but I don't know anything about that," he lied.

Jack looked suspicious, but asking more questions would only raise a red flag. It would be best to talk to someone else who was there: Kasumi herself.

"The secondary target must've been Ayane," Jack said. "That would explain how she got tangled up in this mess."

Myamoto nodded in agreement. "Hey, here's something else. It's a log of some sort of trial and error techniques used on Kasumi during her stay here." Myamoto paused to examine the file on the dim display. "Whoa....that's terrible...."

Shark gave a slight nod. "I never actually saw her, but you could hear her screams from up here."

Jack gritted his teeth. "I don't want to know what they did. I've already seen the results and I have no desire to know what caused her so much anguish. I just want them to pay for it."

Myamoto nodded and eyed Shark with distaste. "How did you do it?"

Shark looked confused, impatient, and slightly worried. "Do what?"

"How could you stand by and do nothing when you knew that she was in so much pain?"

Jack was interested immediately. "I'd like to know that too. What kind of man can sit up here and listen to that kind of suffering without taking action?"

Shark rolled his eyes. "Money is a very persuasive item. That's the main reason that I stuck around for as long as I did. But I left didn't I?"

Jack nodded. "I guess so, but why didn't you try to help her?"

Shark needed to change the subject quickly before he slipped up. "Quit asking so many damn questions! I don't have to help you, but I chose to anyway. So quit interrogating me before I decide to leave."

Jack glared at Shark. "What are you so afraid I'll find out? What's the big secret, Shark?"

"None of your business! Now do you want to search for a way to take down Smith or do you want to keep bugging me?"

"I want to keep bugging you. Now tell me what you did. I know that you know something else about Kasumi," Jack persisted stubbornly.

"Oh yeah? And what exactly makes you think that?"

Jack stared Shark in the eye. "When we met I told you the story of how I killed Duncan in the park and saved Kasumi's life. You say you never saw her, but as soon as I described her in my story, I could tell you recognized her. I have to admit you're a better actor than most liars I know, but you're no Paul Newman. I can easily tell that you've been lying."

Shark grumbled a few colorful curse words and sighed. "You're right. I do know more than I'm saying, but I'll be damned if I'm going to tell you anything!"

Jack was just about to yell at Shark to tell him more, when an alarm screamed throughout the empty base. Jack clamped his hands over his ears and winced. "Myamoto shut that damned thing off!"

Myamoto frantically typed in a few commands and sighed with relief as the loud alarm died away.

Jack removed his hands from his ears and glared at his hacker friend. "What the hell was that? Did you do that on purpose?"

Myamoto turned to Jack, clearly confused. "I didn't set it off. Something else did."

Jack momentarily forgot all about Shark's dark secret and remembered the room that Kasumi had been held in. He remembered that he had felt something strange when he looked at the wooden door and now he realized what it was.

"Someone or something else is in the building with us."

Shark looked like he was going to laugh. "Why would anyone want to come to this hell hole?"

Jack shrugged and got out his Beretta. "I don't know."

"How do you know for certain?" Myamoto asked.

Jack pointed towards the stairs that led to the basement. "The room that was used to question Kasumi was locked. I remember leaving that door wide open. Plus, the generator was broken."

Shark shook his head. "That generator's been broken for a long time. It was busted even before you girlfriend was brought here. And that door could've been blown shut."

"How? There's no wind down there."

Just as Jack finished his sentence, the power failed shrouding them all in a thick eerie darkness.

* * *

_Monday, December 26_

_10:11 P.M._

_Organization Compound 32_

Smith had just returned to the main floor of his old base and was appalled at the ruins that were spread out before him. Damaged consoles littered the floor and live wires were strewn about without any sort of order. The place was a complete war zone.

"Wow, that guy really screwed this place over."

Smith glared at Thomas. "Shut up and help me assess the damage. I can't get into contact with my agent unless this place is operational. Sending her into DOA 4 won't matter unless we have some sort of base of operations."

"This place is a wreck. You'd be better off to find a new hole in the ground to crawl into."

Smith ignored the British man and walked upstairs to his darkened interrogation chamber. On his way up the stairs he noticed that the door to the storage area was wide open, which told him that someone had been snooping around after the fight. He cursed and ran back down the flight of stairs, heading straight to the opening in the wall. He needed to see what they took.

Thomas reluctantly followed his boss down the narrow passage and at the bottom he was greeted with nothing more than a very dark room filled with scattered boxes and their spilled contents. He noticed that most of the boxes were tipped over on their sides or lying upside down on the cold concrete floor. Papers were scattered everywhere.

He watched in amusement as Smith frantically inventoried the spilled contents, panic clearly etched into his voice. "What did he take?!"

Thomas shrugged and started to play with his lighter, like always. "Does it really matter?"

"Of course it does! Now, help me search you idiot. Jack can't be allowed to learn our secrets!"

Thomas sighed and irritably helped Smith gather the papers on the floor into neat piles and return them to their designated boxes. But soon he got tired of helping Smith clean up the massive mess and leaned up against an empty shelf. Smith glared at him and stood up, finally realizing that there was no way they could tell what Jack Wallace may have taken. There was just too much information to sort through.

"Damn!" Smith yelled as he kicked an empty box. "I'm going to kill that girl if I ever see her again! She's caused more trouble than any other enemy I've ever had."

"Why don't you just leave her alone? Cut your losses and run--"

"Cut my losses?! Run?!" Smith yelled. "Do you know what I'm going to do?"

Thomas shrugged and put away the small Zippo in the palm of his hand. "What?"

Smith smiled darkly. "I'm going to hunt her down. And when I catch her I'm going to make her watch as I slaughter her sister, her boyfriend, and her entire village. And then I'm going to rip out her guts with a rusty knife!"

"Man, you are one messed up yank. You're bloody crazy! Just leave her alone and find someone else to 'ask.'"

Smith shook his head. "No, I will find her. But for now I must prioritize. First, I need to get this dump operational. Then I need to send my agent into DOA 4. After that, I'll concentrate everything I have on Kasumi and Jack."

Thomas simply shook his head. "They'll be back, you know. They'll show up here, or they'll go back to Forest Park."

Smith froze. "Forest Park? How do you know anything about Forest Park? I hired you after I left that place."

Thomas grinned. "I have been keeping an eye on you for quite a while. I was just waiting to make my move. But when I heard you kidnapped a young woman in the woods outside of town, my curiosity got the better of me. I needed to see what you were up to, so I waited and watched. And then you called me, when Duncan was killed and your traitor had freed your only source of useful information. I was going to kill you, but when you told me how much you were willing to pay, I couldn't refuse."

Smith was pissed, but soon realized that anger wasn't going to help. He remained silent, unsure of what to say.

Thomas rolled his eyes. "So that's how I know that Jack might want to return to the forest if he doesn't come here."  
"It doesn't matter where he goes."

Thomas was intrigued. "Why is that?"

Smith laughed. "Because I've changed the security codes here. There's no way he can get back inside. And in the forest, there will be a deadly surprise waiting for him."

Thomas wanted to know more, but Smith walked up the stairs. He shrugged and quietly followed, ready to get to work repairing the damaged consoles that littered the main room. The faster he worked, the more he was paid.

_

* * *

_

_Monday, December 26_

_10:31 P.M._

_Organization Compound 21_

Jack and the others had all gathered in the big room, right outside of the inner building's entrance to discuss this new threat.

"What makes you think there's something here?" Hayate asked.

Jack sighed. "I told you already! That door had been locked, and I didn't do it. There's got to be something else in there."

Hayabusa remained calm, as usual. "When we were searching through the junk pile, you looked into the room through a small barred window. Was there anything inside?"

Jack shook his head. "I don't think so. I'm pretty sure there was nothing there."

"You don't think so? You're pretty sure? You either saw something or you didn't, Jack," Shark said, irritated. "We can't afford any unnecessary complications."

Jack glared at him. "You're an unnecessary complication, Shark. I'd shut my trap if I were you. You're on thin ice as it is, so don't push it."

Shark shrugged and remained silent.

"I say we get the hell out of here," Myamoto whispered. "This place gives me the creeps and we've been down here for two and a half hours. If there was anything to find, we would have found it by now."

"No!" Jack shouted. "I'm not leaving empty handed. We need to find a way to take this guy down. Kasumi's been through too much to let him get away with this!"

Hayate nodded. "Then there is only one course of action we can take."

"What's that?" Jack asked.

"We find out whatever set off that alarm and destroy it."

Jack nodded. "If it means I can get to Smith and avenge Kasumi, then bring it on. I'm ready."

Myamoto tugged on Jack's jacket sleeve. "Are you suicidal?! What if it's some kind of--?"

Jack checked the load on his Beretta. "Whatever it is, I'm sure I can kill it. And if I can't kill it alone, I'm sure all of us working together can take out anything."

Hayabusa gave a slight nod. "Good. Then let's go find it."

Holding the Beretta in his right hand and the pen light in his left, Jack lead the way into the darkened base, followed closely by the two ninja warriors. Shark and Myamoto stayed in back of the loose formation ready to fight, but knowing that there wasn't much they could do if it got ugly since they were both unarmed.

Jack stealthily crept down the stairs that led into the basement and was poised to shoot anything that moved even a millimeter. But when he reached the bottom of the steps, there was nothing there except the long shadows being cast by his flashlight. However, he did feel that something had changed since he had last seen the hallway nearly half an hour earlier.

Not sure what to expect, Jack continued down the narrow hall, ready for almost anything to jump out of the shadows and tackle him. It was nerve wracking to know something was there, but not know where it was or even if it was dangerous. But knowing Smith, this place was probably riddled with all sorts of traps.

Jack stopped as he neared Kasumi's old cell and looked behind him to make sure everyone was accounted for. After he was positive everyone was still present, he walked towards the locked wooden door. But when the bright beam from his light washed over the door, he was shocked. It was wide open and the padlock was nowhere to be seen.

"Damn!" Jack whispered.

Myamoto gazed at the door and slowly whistled the theme song for X-files.

"Knock that off!" Shark shouted. "This isn't funny."

Myamoto laughed. "Why? Is the big bad thug afraid of the dark?"

Jack whirled around and glared at both of them. "Shut up, both of you! We need to keep our eyes open. We can all make fun of Shark later."

Myamoto nodded and Shark rolled his eyes. Both were the responses Jack expected, so he cautiously entered the small dark room. As he stepped through the doorway, he scanned the room, seeing absolutely nothing new. There was still a gory mess on the table and a few tattered strips of stained clothing. The metal cart was still where he had last seen it and there seemed to be nothing out of place.

Myamoto stepped inside after him, followed by the others. "Are you sure this door was locked, Jack?"

Jack nodded. "I swear it was. I'm positive it was sealed earlier.

"Well, it looks like--"

Myamoto was interrupted when the wooden door was slammed shut behind them making a deafening slamming sound. Jack swore under his breath as he heard the sound of the padlock being replaced on the handle, sealing them inside.

"Stand aside," Jack said quietly.

He raised his pistol and fired into the wooden door, emptying his entire clip. He could hear a few of the bullets striking metal on the other side of the door, but that was it. Jack reloaded the jet black weapon and sighed as he heard heavy footsteps fade away in the dark hall outside.

He put away the gun and sighed. "I think it would be fair to say we're in deep shit. Any ideas?"

Shark shook his head and took a seat in his old chair. "No, but I am really starting to get pissed at whatever is in here with us."

Jack nodded. "That makes both of us."

Hayabusa looked completely calm. He was even more composed than Hayate. Jack wondered how he could remain so stoic all the time, but shrugged it off and began to examine the door for a way out. But after about five minutes of close examination, Jack sat down on the floor and stopped searching. He was sure that an idea would come to him soon, but he wondered if it would come soon enough.


	28. Chapter TwentySeven

**DISCLAIMER:** I DO NOT OWN ANY DEAD OR ALIVE CHARACTER. THOSE CHARACTERS BELONG TO TECMO, LTD. AND TEAM NINJA. I AM IN NO WAY INTENDING ANY COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT AND I'M NOT MAKING A PROFIT FROM THE USE OF THESE CHARACTERS. ANY CHARACTER NOT A PART OF DEAD OR ALIVE IS MINE AND MINE ALONE.

_Shake: Your character is really cool sounding and I might use him when the time comes, but I think I'll have to make his background story a little more detailed to add some stability. Anyway, DOA4 is a long way from where I am now. Thanks for your idea. I really appreciate it. And keep reading, pls!_

**Chapter Twenty-seven**

_Monday, December 26_

_10:59 P.M._

_Organization Compound 21_

Jack kicked the door in frustration and shouted a few colorful curse words.

"Face it, man, we're stuck in here," Myamoto muttered.

Jack shook his head. "There's got to be a way out of this mess, and when I find it I'm going to make whatever locked us in here Swiss cheese."

Shark shook his head. "If we get out, that thing will be long gone."

Jack sighed, acknowledging Shark's statement. "You're probably right. Any bright ideas? You know this place better than any of us."

"I wish I could help, but Smith made sure this was the most secure room in the facility. He didn't want to take any chances with the girl. She was worth too much to him."

"Kasumi escaped and so will I. There has to be a way. We just aren't looking hard enough."

Myamoto grinned and powered up the laptop. "Or we're looking too hard."

Jack was puzzled. "What's that supposed to mean? What are you doing?"

"I'm going to slice into what's left of the security system and open this door. Whatever locked us in here didn't count on me having a computer."

Shark nodded. "Good idea, except for one very obvious thing. This door is padlocked and entirely separate from the security systems. Duh."

"Damn, that's right," Myamoto muttered.

Jack looked at the door and idea hit him like a freight train. "That's right! This door isn't connected to the computers, which means it has old hinges and doesn't slide like all the other doors."

Hayabusa instantly saw where this was going. "If we remove the pins, we can remove the door. Very clever."

Jack nodded and put away his Beretta, focusing on removing the long steel pins from the old hinges. After a few short minutes the pins were gone and Jack simply kicked the door into the hall, making a loud crashing noise.

"Way to go, Jack," Shark muttered sarcastically. "If that thing didn't know we were coming, it does now."

Jack retrieved his Beretta and shrugged. "Let it come. I'm ready for it."

Shark just shook his head. "You have no clue what you're up against. Smith has a lot more gadgets and weapons than you realize. The Organization is very powerful."

"The bigger they are, the harder they fall. Now, let's get the hell out of here."

"But we didn't find anything," Myamoto said.

Jack sighed. "I know, but we aren't going to get much done in the dark. And apparently, whatever else is down here destroyed our only source of electricity. We'll have to come back some other time."

Hayate nodded. "And at least we still have the warehouse facility to search. We haven't hit a dead end yet."

Jack nodded. "We can go look over there tomorrow, but it's late and I, for one, want to call it a night."

Shark agreed wanting to quickly leave the base before Jack found out what he had done to Kasumi.

They all slowly walked back outside into the chilly winter night and entered the dark green Jeep. As Jack drove down the silent forest trail outside of the Okashima city limits, he thought again of Kasumi. He decided that maybe he should stop by the hospital, but then he remembered that they weren't going to allow her any visitors until tomorrow afternoon. He sighed and looked over at Myamoto.

"Did you want to come with me to see Kasumi tomorrow? She could use all the support she can get. Especially after witnessing what Smith did to Ayane."

Myamoto nodded. "Sure. I wanted to ask her a few questions anyway."

Jack shook his head. "No questions. For now let's just keep this little investigation to ourselves. She doesn't need to be burdened with this right now."

"Okay, no problem."

Shark leaned forward in the back seat. "I want to go too."

Jack almost laughed. "Why the hell do you care?"

Shark looked offended and that made Jack think a moment. Then Shark replied to his question. "I just want to see her. I need this, Jack."

Somehow, Jack believed him. "I don't think it would be such a good idea. You used to work for Smith. She'll be terrified if she sees you there."

Shark nodded. "Not if you're with me, right?"

Jack looked doubtful. "If you can answer one question honestly, I'll take you with me. But you have to tell the absolute truth."

Shark nodded.

"Did you ever actually see her? Will she recognize you if I bring you along?"

Shark shook his head. "No. She won't recognize me," he lied.

Jack nodded. "Well, if she doesn't know who you are, then she can't be scared of you. I suppose it wouldn't do any harm to take you, but I am curious why it's so important that you see her."

Shark shook his head. "You'll know soon enough."

He felt like a complete idiot. Was his word worth nothing? He had told Jack he would tell the truth, but every question Jack ever asked him, he responded to with a lie. But if he did tell the truth he would be dead in the blink of an eye. So he had no choice but to lie.

_Keep telling yourself that and you might be able to sleep at night._

Shark ignored his inner voice and waited as Jack continued to drive down the bumpy gravel road. He felt so out of place in the small Jeep, knowing that out of everyone there, he was by far the worst.

Realizing that these thoughts weren't helping him any, Shark ceased is current train of thought and focused on something else. Like what he was going to say to Kasumi tomorrow, for instance. Would she forgive him? The real question was why it was so important to him that she show any sort of forgiveness.

After about fifteen minutes, Jack dropped Myamoto off at his apartment building. As his hacker friend was exiting the Jeep, Jack gestured towards his laptop. "I want you to barrow my computer for a while and review everything we have on Smith so far. We need to find _something_ to base our next move on."

Myamoto picked up the laptop. "Sure, Jack. I'll take good care of it."

Jack nodded. "I know. I guess we'll head back over to my place. I'll see you tomorrow."

Myamoto nodded and waved as Jack pulled away and started towards his own apartment building.

After another five minutes of driving, Jack arrived at home. He turned off his car and stepped out of the driver's seat. Shark was the next person out and he was followed by Hayabusa and Hayate. Jack noticed that they had been unusually quiet for the last hour or so. Even more quiet than usual. He shrugged and decided that it was probably because of Shark. If that was the case, they would have to get over it.

Jack noticed that the two ninjas weren't heading towards his apartment, but they were walking towards the opposite side of the street.

"Hey, you guys are welcome to crash at my place for the night."

Hayabusa shook his head. "No thanks, Jack."

Hayate remained quiet and Jack got the distinct feeling that Kasumi's brother had something against him. But he was too tired to deal with the Shinobi leader's attitude right now. He turned to Shark and yawned.

"I guess I'm stuck with you, aren't I?" Jack muttered.

Shark nodded. "Guess so."

Jack sighed. "Fine, follow me then."

Saying nothing further, Jack walked into his apartment building and up the stairs that led to the third floor and ultimately to his apartment. Shark followed in silence, feeling very tired and very lucky. Things at the old base could have gone much worse than they did and he was grateful his secret was still safe. At least for the moment.

_

* * *

Tuesday, December 27 _

_9:52 A.M._

_Charity Medical Complex_

Kasumi woke up and yawned, immediately regretting the action when a sharp pain flared in her chest and shot through the rest of her body.She winced and closed her mouth, shutting out the aching that flowed through her muscles and organs. Everything still hurt a lot, but she noticed that at least now she could make small movements without crying out in anguish.

The first thing she thought of was Ayane and how she was doing, but Kasumi was afraid to look over to her sister. She feared that if Ayane saw her move, she would try to hurt her again, like she had done before. But against her better judgment Kasumi glanced at her sister with worry written on her face. It was a mistake she would soon regret making.

Ayane caught the movement immediately and scowled at her sister. "What do you want?"

She sighed. "I just wanted to see if you were all right. I'm worried about you."

Ayane simply ignored Kasumi, trying to think of an insult strong enough to express her hatred and anger, but she drew a complete blank.

Kasumi persisted, refusing to let Ayane shove her aside. "Will you please say something? I want to talk--"

"Talk? About what?"

"I want to know if you're okay."

Ayane shot another glare at Kasumi. "Why? You don't really care anyway."

"Of course I care!" Kasumi said, slightly hurt by Ayane's remark. "How could you even think that? You're my sister and I love you."

Ayane sighed. "Just shut up and leave me alone."

Kasumi didn't take the hint. "But--"

"Are you stupid or something?! I don't want to talk to you so shut your damn trap before I come over there and shut it for you!"

Kasumi's face went from concerned to heartbroken in a matter of mere seconds and her eyes reflected how much Ayane had crushed her inside. "Sorry. I'll be quiet now."

Ayane scoffed and closed her eyes.

Kasumi also closed her eyes in an attempt to keep herself from breaking down into tears. What had happened since Jack had rescued them? What had she done to make Ayane hate her so much?

During her captivity, Kasumi noticed that Ayane had some concern at the sight of her pain, and it had raised her hopes of finally fixing their broken friendship. But now it seemed that those hopes were snuffed out like a small flame in a harsh winter storm.

Doctor Makita had heard the entire conversation and walked into the room immediately after hearing Ayane's cold statement, both angry and shocked at what she had just heard.

She walked over to Kasumi and tapped her shoulder. Her eyes snapped open and her breath became accelerated, but when she saw the doctor standing over her, she calmed herself.

"Hi," Kasumi whispered, her voice wavering.

Karei sighed. "I hope that you're feeling more comfortable than before. I had one of the nurses increase your painkiller dosage."

Kasumi nodded and managed to smile, despite her emotional affliction. "Thank you. I feel much better now."

Karei thought about the call she had made to the police and wondered if she should tell the girl that lay in front of her. Finally she decided that it would be best if they both knew that the authorities were coming this evening.

"I have something important to tell you, girls. Due to the suspicious nature of your injuries and the near fatal extent of the damage done, I felt compelled to call the local police. They should be here by seven o'clock this evening to ask you a few questions."

Kasumi didn't know how to respond to what the doctor had just told her. The police were coming? Did that mean she was going to be in some kind of trouble? She had never dealt with any sort of officer in her life and had no idea what to expect. Her thoughts would have probably been much clearer if only Jack were here to comfort her and straighten everything out. But her confusion was probably because of the drugs.

Karei felt uneasy at the tense silence that she had just created. She looked at Kasumi who was clearly very nervous and confused, and wondered what the girl had to worry about. She was obviously the victim in this situation. Karei also glanced Ayane's face, but it was much harder to read and she couldn't tell what she was feeling.

"By the way, I heard what you said to your sister a few seconds ago. I have to say I'm surprised that you could say such a thing."

Ayane sighed. "That's none of your business."

"She was only trying to be nice to you. You should show a little more compassion in the future. Can't you see how much you're hurting her? Don't you care? You've both just been through hell and you could probably help each other if--"

"What I say to that little twit is none of your concern! She's worthless and you should just stay out of this if you know what's good for you."

The doctor was just about to say something else when Kasumi tugged on her lab coat. Her soft copper eyes were glistening and her flushed cheeks were wet with fresh tears. "Just go, please."

"But--"

"Please?" Kasumi pleaded. "You'll only make things worse by continuing."

Karei sighed and handed Kasumi a dry tissue. Then she turned and left the room, frustrated and confused.

Ayane was infuriated at the doctor who had just left. What right did she have to judge her? She didn't know the whole story! Nobody did. But it was always the same. Even back home in the village people glare at her like she's some kind of monster. Everyone always sided with Kasumi and refused to even listen to her side of the story. They always automatically assumed she was the villain and Kasumi was the innocent one.

But when Ayane thought about it, when she really considered the situation, she found that she had no real grounds to despise her sister so much. Aside from the fact that Kasumi had left to avenge Hayate, she had done nothing wrong. As a matter of fact, the only person she could ever talk to was Kasumi.

As a child, Ayane had many difficult problems and she always counted on Kasumi to help her through them. And Kasumi, being who she is, did her very best to never let her down. And she never did.

But it pissed her off that Kasumi was seen as some kind of self sacrificing saint. Sure she had risked everything and lost, but nobody's perfect. She brought this upon herself, and Ayane would give her no sympathy. She had turned her back on everyone who loved her and gave in to revenge.

Kasumi glanced over at Ayane, bracing herself for another barrage of insults and put downs. But Ayane simply looked at her and sighed. Then she looked away and ignored her.

Relieved and puzzled, Kasumi let out a deep sigh and thought about Jack. She hoped he would come by today because she missed him sorely and longed to hear his voice. She needed someone to talk to or she was going to explode into an emotional mess.

_

* * *

Tuesday, December 27 _

_2:43 P.M._

_Jack's Apartment_

Jack took a big swig out of his mug of strong coffee and examined the strawberry millefeuille that sat in his fridge. He had had it for almost a week and wondered if it was still fresh enough to be any good by the time Kasumi came back home. Most likely it wasn't, but he kept it anyway to remind him of that day and to make sure he remembered to never take anything for granted.

Shark had been awake since five in the morning watching television and waiting. When Jack walked into the living room he turned his head and rubbed his eyes. The young private eye looked angry and Shark wondered if he had finally put the pieces into place. He'd have to be a complete moron to not have noticed. But with the shit he's been dealing with, Shark knew that the man probably wasn't running at peak performance. _For a person who single-handedly led a successful assault on Smith's base, he sure isn't observant._

Jack finished his coffee and put on his boots, not saying a word to Shark or even acknowledging his presence in the room.

"Something wrong?"

Jack stood up as he finished tying his laces. "Damn straight there's something wrong! But I hope I'm just being paranoid, because if what I've realized is true...." Jack clenched his hands into fists and gritted his teeth. "I've been such a fool. C'mon. You're coming with me to the hospital."

Shark hid his feelings well, but the truth was he didn't care anymore. If he was going to die, fine. A man like himself didn't deserve to live. But he still wanted to speak with Kasumi. He got off the couch and put on his suit jacket. Jack grabbed his own leather jacket from the coat rack and walked out of the door, dialing Myamoto's cell number on his phone.

"Hello?"

"Hey, I'm going to the hospital to see Kasumi. It's almost three and she should be able to receive visitors now."

Myamoto noted something different in Jack's voice. "What's up? You sound a little blue."

Jack sighed. "It's everything Myamoto. It's all going to hell in a hand basket and I can't do anything to stop it."

"What are you talking about? Kasumi's safe and so is Ayane."

"Yeah, but what about Smith? I'm sure he hasn't stopped searching for her. And I still don't know what he wanted with her."

"Wake up, Jack! She's a Shinobi!" Myamoto said. "She's worth a lot of money in certain places. But instead of selling her to some crime lord, Smith interrogated her. It's obvious he's looking for her home."

"The village? But why?"

"Who knows? But we can't let him find it. Not a lot of people like the Shinobi, but we don't know how they really are. If Kasumi's any indication, a lot of good people could die up there if we don't stop him. Is this what you meant when you said everything's going to hell?"

Jack thought a moment. "No, but it only makes things seem worse. What I meant was that I don't think Kasumi can take any more damage. Anything could set her off at this point."

"Set her off?"

Sure," Jack said. "With all the things she's been through the last few weeks, I wouldn't be surprised if she had a total meltdown right about now. Wouldn't you be on the brink after something like that?"

"I suppose. But just because you think she's on edge, that doesn't mean she actually is. She has her sister to support her, not to mention you. Everything will be fine. Nothing else is going to happen to her."

Jack scoffed. "Ayane isn't going to support Kasumi. She's going to tear her apart, piece by piece. If anyone on the planet doesn't like Kasumi, it's her."

"She seemed nice enough to me."

"Nice? You know what she told me when I said her sister was missing? She told me that she was glad. She wanted Kasumi to get hurt."

Myamoto was doubtful. "Maybe she thought she wanted her to suffer, but no one is so heartless as to actually be happy while witnessing the torture of their only sister. I don't think she knows what she wants."

Jack considered this and nodded. "Yeah, I think you might be right. Maybe you should come with me and try to talk with her. She won't listen to me."

"How do you know that?"

Jack sighed. "Because I tried to reason with her once, a long time ago. We were on a certain island and she basically told me to shove off."

"Things might have changed since then. But I'll go with you. Besides I already said I wanted to come with you."

Jack nodded. "Good. By the way, be prepared. I think I know what Shark's been hiding, but I want to take him to Kasumi to make sure."

"What is it?"

"I don't think I should say anything until I know for certain. I'll be by to pick you up in ten minutes tops."

"I'll be ready."

By the time his conversation with Myamoto was over, Jack had walked out to his Jeep without even realizing it. He definitely needed a break, and maybe they could get some rest in the next few weeks and take things slow. He could help Kasumi recover and while he was doing that she could help him deal with his guilt. They would make it through this rough patch together.

He climbed into the driver's seat and started the small SUV, almost forgetting to let Shark enter before he left, but fortunately the man had opened the passenger's side door before Jack hit the gas.

He waited impatiently as Shark buckled up and closed the door, and then he floored it, making his tires squeal. They rocketed down the crowded streets and Jack grinned when Shark gripped the armrests tightly. Jack, however, had nerves of steel and was completely confident in his driving skills.

He arrived at Myamoto's apartment in half the time it usually took and when he knocked on his friend's door, Myamoto was obviously a little surprised.

"Wow, that was fast."

Jack nodded. "I know. I think you might understand why I'm in such a rush to get to the hospital. Remember what happened before?"

Myamoto nodded. "Yeah, but that's not gonna happen this time."

"I hope not."

In about five or six minutes, Jack arrived at the Charity Medical Complex. After parking in the crowded lot, Jack walked over to Shark's door, and yanked it open. "Get out." His voice was cold.

Shark said nothing as he exited the dark green vehicle, thinking that if he should talk he would need to choose his words very carefully.

The three men entered the glass double doors that led to the lobby and walked up to the receptionist, who recognized Jack almost instantly. "Ah, Mr. Wallace. I assume you're here to see Kasumi?"

Jack nodded. "If it's all right with the doctors."

She nodded. "The computer says that visitors are now allowed, so go right ahead. She's in room 23A with her sister."

Jack wasn't sure he heard right. "With her sister? They're in the same room?"  
"Yes," the receptionist said. "Is that some sort of a problem?"

Jack sighed. "No, ma'am. I guess it might actually help her. Thank you."

Jack motioned for Shark to follow him as he walked down the clean white halls of the hospital. He scanned the shiny brass plates on each door as he passed them. _21A... 21B... 22A... 22B... 23A._

Jack opened the door slowly and peered inside, smiling at what he saw. Kasumi was napping peacefully in the bed on the right side of the room, the lamps beside her bed bathing her face in a warm yellow light. She looked so composed and so content. It was hard for him to believe that she had been tortured just a few days earlier.

"Are you going to stand there all day or are you going to come inside?"

Jack looked at Ayane not with irritation, but sympathy. "Hello, Ayane."

Ayane looked at Jack, not quite knowing what to expect from the man. "She's sleeping, so you might as well just come back later."

Jack glanced at Kasumi as he quietly entered the room, then he looked back to Ayane. "I can see that, but I hope you don't mind if I talk to you for a second."

"Don't waste my time. I'm not interested in anything you have to say."

Jack wondered why she was putting up such a fight. "What's going on with you? Why can't you even pretend to be civil? I'm not here to start a war; I'm here to see if you two are okay."

Ayane seemed to accept Jack's statement, but she said nothing.

Shark glanced at the two girls uncomfortably. He was grateful Kasumi was resting and was even more grateful Ayane had no idea who he was. He had a little more time to find a way to dig himself out of this mess. A little time, but not nearly enough.

Myamoto on the other hand, couldn't peel his eyes away from Kasumi, because he knew what she had been through since the beginning. He just couldn't see how she was sleeping so peacefully after such a hellish experience.

"Hey, Jack. I was wondering when you would show up."

Jack turned away from Ayane and faced Nikata with a grin. "Hey, doc. What's up?"

"Shhh! Not so loud. This is the first time we've seen your friend sleep without thrashing about or crying. We think the nightmares may have passed for the moment."

Jack wasn't sure he had heard right. "You mean that his is the first time since Sunday that she's had any peaceful sleep?"

Nikata nodded. "Yes. Last night it got so bad that Doctor Makita had to wake her to make sure she wouldn't reopen her wounds. We thought about restraining her, but Karei said that it would only make things worse if she woke up strapped to a bed." Nakita sighed. "However that wasn't necessary because after Makita woke her up, she refused to go back to sleep. I don't think I've ever seen anyone that terrified to get some rest. But at around one or two I checked on her and she was sleeping, although it wasn't very restful from the looks of things."

Shark felt lower than sewer sludge when he heard the doctor's words, but he said nothing. He saw Ayane glaring at him, trying to read his face. He instantly turned his back on her and stared at the wall.

Jack was also pained by the doctor's words, and he looked at Kasumi with a deep respect and admiration of her strength. He could only hope to be that strong if faced with something like what Kasumi had just experienced. He would have to make sure to do something special with her later. Something she would never forget.

"Is there something you wanted?" Jack whispered.

Nikata shook his head. "No, not really. I just wanted to see if you found her room okay. I have other patients to check on so if you need anything ask for Karei Makita. She seems to have developed a real attachment to these girls. Even more than the rest of us."

Jack nodded. "Thanks. How long has she been sleeping?"

Nikata paused a moment to think. "Well, she did wake up around nine thirty this morning. But after about an hour and a half she fell asleep again. So she's been this way for almost four and a half hours. I don't think she'll stay asleep much longer."

Jack nodded. "Thanks. I'll let you get back to work now."

Mitsuo nodded and left. "I'll go tell Karei that you're here. I think she'll want to talk to you."

Jack dragged a chair towards Ayane's bed and sat down. "While I'm waiting for your sister to wake up, I think we should talk about a few things."

"I hope this isn't about her. I'm so sick of hearing everyone talk about her."

"Really?" Jack asked. "What do they say?"

Ayane rolled her eyes. "Some of the staff come in here and look at her while she's sleeping saying things like: 'oh, you poor girl,' or 'she's so amazing.' I'm tired of it."

Jack saw something in Ayane's expression and immediately recognized what it was. It was obvious to him that she felt unwanted. He could tell she was hurt because no one seemed to care about her.

"You know, Ayane, people do care about you. You aren't alone in this mess. Share your burdens. I'll listen."

"Don't patronize me, Jack. You're just like all the others."

Jack was getting fed up with her attitude. "You have no idea how lucky you are, do you?"

Ayane remained quiet.

"At least you still have a home. You still have somewhere to turn. But look at her. She was living in an icy garage until a few weeks ago, barely staying alive. What more do you want from her? How much more do you think she can suffer?"

Ayane sighed. "You don't know the whole story, Jack. So just be quiet. I don't want to talk about her right now. As a matter of fact, I don't even want to talk to you at all."

Jack sighed. "You know, if you weren't so stubborn maybe you would realize what you're continued hostilities are doing to her. Ever since I first met your sister, she's told me about you and how much she misses you. Can't you just find some way to resolve your problems? She needs you now. Are you just going to turn your back on her?"

Ayane glanced across the room at Kasumi, who was still resting, oblivious to her conversation. Ayane then returned her attention to Jack. "Maybe."

Jack shook his head, completely shocked by Ayane's answer. "How can you even consider that option? She's your sister, dammit!"

"Why shouldn't I abandon her? What about all the times she's turned her back on me?!"

"She would never do that. At least not on purpose."

Ayane sighed. "I knew you would do this."

"Do What?"

Kasumi slowly opened her eyes at the sound of Jack's intense voice and yawned, slowly and carefully stretching her arms above her head. She ignored the pain that followed and looked around, her lips parting in a bright smile when she saw Jack. But then her smile immediately vanished when she noticed who else was in the room.

"No....," she whispered. "It can't be...."

Shark looked at her as she awoke, nervously scratching his head. "Uh....hello again. I....um....I have something to say. There's something I need you to know."

"Go away! Just leave me alone!"

Shark held up his hands. "I'm sorry! I just need you to know I'm sorry. What I did was...it was inhumane. I need you to know how much I hate what I've done. I can't live with myself knowing what I know."

Kasumi blinked away a tear as the memories of the first week she spent in captivity echoed through her mind. "It's not good enough..." she whispered. "What you did will haunt me for the rest of my life. Nothing you can say will change that. Just leave."

Shark's shoulders sagged. "I figured as much. But if you'll only listen--"

Jack flew out of his chair and had Shark against the wall by his throat. "I knew it! You filthy liar! I should kill you for what you've done. You have no idea what you really did to her, you rat bastard."

Shark nodded. "Then go ahead. I won't stop you. Truth is, I don't feel much like living anyway. I've got nothing to lose."

Jack was caught off guard by the man's statement, so he released him. "No, not here. It's not right. I want nothing more than to make you feel only a fragment of the suffering you've inflicted, but I can't. I'm just not like you. Get the hell out of here before I change my mind."

Shark nodded and ran out the door, never looking back at the broken girl lying in the bed with tears in her eyes. What he had done was truly beyond repair.

Kasumi looked at Jack. "Why was he here?"

Jack stared at the door a moment longer then turned to Kasumi. "He sought me out. He said he wanted to know who killed Duncan. I assume that that was the park ranger, was it not?"

Kasumi nodded and wiped her face on the blanket. "Yes, that was his name."

Jack nodded. "Yeah, so when I wanted answers from him, he wouldn't give me anything. I suspected at the beginning that he knew who hurt you, so I kept him around. I had no clue that he was the one until this morning, but I had to be sure. Sorry, I just put you through that."

Kasumi sighed. "That's okay."

"No, it's not. I didn't think you would react so strongly and--"

Kasumi raised her finger to her lips to signal him to stop. "I said it's fine. Don't worry about it."

Jack sat back down in the chair. "If you say so. How are you doing?"

"Better. I'm still pretty sore, but other than that everything's fine. But I haven't tried to walk yet so that might be a problem."

Jack held her hand. "If you need anything, let me know."

Ayane rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. Am I going to have listen to you two be all mushy for the rest of the week?"

Jack turned to Ayane. "Well, you could always show some support."

Myamoto had remained quiet the entire time since he arrived at the hospital. He had no idea what to say. He cleared his throat and leaned against the wall.

This simple action got Kasumi's attention. "Hi! I remember you. You're the guy that was helping Jack during the gunfight."

Myamoto smiled sheepishly. "My name's Myamoto. Jack's told me great things about you, Kasumi. I have to say that it is an honor to meet you. Well, we technically already met, but--"

Kasumi smiled. "Thanks. I guess I owe you big time. Without you, I'd probably be dead."

"Don't mention it."

Jack glanced at Ayane, who looked very out of place. He wanted to find some way to include her. He wanted to raise her spirits, but he couldn't see how. Every time he tried to show support, she lashed out.

"So what have you been doing the last few days?"

Myamoto was about to tell Kasumi about their raid for information at Smith's compound at the docks and the infiltration and mysterious entrapment in the woods, but Jack stopped him with a glare, causing him to remember Jack's earlier request of secrecy.

Jack then looked at Kasumi. "Nothing really. I really don't want to bother you with the last few days. You've already been through so much. The only thing worth telling is Shark's appearance, and you already know about that."

Kasumi nodded. "Yeah, I guess you're right. But if you're doing something I want to help. This is my fight too."

Jack laughed. "I appreciate the thought, but it's not safe for you. At least not until you heal completely. After that, I'll be glad to have your help. We'll definitely need it."

He turned to Ayane. "That offer goes for you too, if you feel like sticking around."

Ayane glanced at Kasumi, who had a hopeful glimmer in her eyes. Ayane shrugged. "I'm not just going to let him get away with what he did to me. But don't expect me to be friendly. This is just business."

Jack grinned. He had caught her glance towards her sister. "Sure, if you say so."

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

Jack was about to answer when a woman wearing a white lab coat strolled into the room. "So you must be Jack. Doctor Nikata told me I could find you here. I have a few things I want to talk about."

Jack nodded and smiled at Kasumi. "Sure, doc. Ask me anything."

Makita cleared her throat. "It would be best if we went out into the hall."


	29. Chapter TwentyEight

**DISCLAIMER:** I DO NOT OWN ANY DEAD OR ALIVE CHARACTER. THOSE CHARACTERS BELONG TO TECMO, LTD. AND TEAM NINJA. I AM IN NO WAY INTENDING ANY COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT AND I'M NOT MAKING A PROFIT FROM THE USE OF THESE CHARACTERS. ANY CHARACTER NOT A PART OF DEAD OR ALIVE IS MINE AND MINE ALONE.

**Chapter Twenty-eight**

_Tuesday, December 27_

_3:02 P.M._

_Charity Medical Complex_

Shark pushed out of the large glass doors and trudged outside into the cold winter afternoon. The skies above Okashima were thick and gray, reflecting his mood quite well.

_What did you expect? She had every right to say the things she said. You don't deserve her forgiveness. You were a fool to go to Jack._

Shark shook his head, knowing that his inner voice was right, as always. He just never usually listened to it. Now look where that choice has left him. He would've never used the dagger to cut her if Smith hadn't asked him to. The chemicals were one thing. They usually were a pretty safe tool and yielded answers quickly. But knives? If he had just listened to his gut back then none of this would be happening.

At that moment, he knew what he had to do. But in order to do anything, he would have to wait. So he sat down in the waiting area downstairs and did just that.

* * *

Jack walked into the hall with the female doctor. "What is it?"

Karei thought a moment. "There's several questions I want to ask you, but I think the most important would be who is Smith and why did he hurt them?"

Jack was surprised she knew anything about Smith. "Smith?"

Karei nodded. "She told me Smith hurt them both right before she fell asleep yesterday."

"What makes you think I know anything?"

"She's mentioned you several times. I figured since you two are so close, you might have an idea what may have happened.

Jack nodded. "He's some kind of crime lord or something like that. But I'm sorry to say that I have no clue why he would do this to them. The guy is obviously scum, but I am thankful that things weren't worse."

"Worse? How could they be any worse?"

Jack sighed. "She could've been killed, or she could've been raped. But she wasn't, thank god."

"I see what you mean. But what did happen to her could have been worse than death, or even rape. The extent of her injuries is something that I've never seen before in any other patient."

He nodded. "But she's still alive, and I will make sure that no one touches her ever again. I swear it."

Karei nodded. "I believe you, and I wish you could tell me more. Do you know why he took Kasumi and Ayane?"

Jack sighed. "I'm afraid I don't know the answer to that either. All I really know for sure is that he wanted to hurt them very badly."

Karei shook her head. "He did a damn good job then."

"I think he thought they knew something, but I can't say what that might be. Obviously, she didn't tell him anything. Or she didn't know what he thought she did."

"So you don't know anything?" Makita said, clearly disappointed. "What about the chemical that was in their systems?"

Jack shrugged. "Sorry. I didn't know anything was wrong with her until she started spewing blood everywhere. It scared the shit out of me. I thought I was going to lose her."

Karei glanced into the room at the two girls and thought about the remarks Ayane had made earlier and the havoc it had brought upon Kasumi. "Do you know why Kasumi's sister hates her so much?"

"Why do you think that?"

"It's kind of obvious isn't it?"

Jack nodded. "Yeah, I suppose it is. What did she do to Kasumi this time?"

"I don't remember word for word, but I remember it made her very upset. She was clearly devastated. I tried talking to her sister, but it was no use."

Jack sighed. "I knew putting them in the same room would be a bad idea."

"So do you know why?"

"It has something to do with when they were kids. Something went wrong and they've never been the same since. That's all I know. Ayane can be unreasonable sometimes, but I didn't think she would stoop this low."

"I guess I'll have to wait for the police to investigate before I get any real answers. They'll probably want to talk to you as well."

Jack buried his surprise well. "Police, huh? Well, it's a good thing they're coming. Maybe they can shed some light on this mess."

Makita nodded. "I certainly hope so. I'll let you get back to Kasumi now. I just wanted to see if you had any answers."

"Never hurts to ask. If you have any more questions, please come back and ask them. I don't mind."

Karei nodded and left, and Jack went back into room 23A, where Myamoto, Kasumi, and Ayane were all waiting quietly. Damn, he didn't need any trouble with the cops, but him killing Duncan would be sure to get their attention. This wasn't going to be an easy day.

Jack closed the door behind him and glared at Ayane. "You made her cry? How could you do that?! Especially after you saw what she's been through?"

Ayane scoffed. "So she tattled on me, huh? So what if I yelled at Kasumi? She _is_ a worthless little twit, and I meant what I said."

"Take that back! She isn't worthless!"

"You're right. She means _less_ than nothing to me," Ayane hissed. "The dirt on the bottom of my shoes is more important to me than her puny insignificant life."

Kasumi suppressed her steadily building emotions, knowing that it would only make Jack even angrier at Ayane if she fell apart now. But she was close to the edge of her limits and she couldn't listen to any more. Not right now.

Jack glared at Ayane. "If you were even half the person she was--!"

Kasumi sighed, struggling to maintain control, and grabbed Jack's forearm. "Please, don't get mad at her."

Jack was amazed at Kasumi. "Don't get mad? How can I not? She made you cry, and she seems pretty proud of it. I'm surprised you're sticking up for her."

Kasumi nodded. "Yes, she did. But--"

"I hope you're happy, Ayane. Even after you tear her down, she still won't get mad at you. How far are you willing to push her?"

"As far as I want. Now, screw off! I don't have to answer to the likes of you."

"Apologize to her. You owe her that much at least," Jack said in a flat definitive tone, his voice as hard as solid rock.

Ayane gave Kasumi a fake smile. "Sorry, you ugly little wench. I'm sorry you're still alive and I'm even sorrier that Smith didn't get the chance to slowly carve you apart like--"

Kasumi, already broken and pushed too far, exploded into tears at that exact moment, unable to hold back her feelings any longer. The pain was just too much for her to hide anymore, and it burst through her meager defenses like an unstoppable tidal wave. She buried her face in her hands in a lame attempt to shield herself from Ayane's hatred and hide her misery from Jack at the same time.

"Why?!" she sobbed, "I just want things to be the way they were! Is that too much to ask?!"

"It is too much to ask," Ayane said coldly. "I wish you were dead."

Kasumi reacted as if she had just been whipped with a leather strap. The words sliced through her like a razor and she realized that maybe it would've been better if Smith actually had killed her. Then at least she wouldn't be made to suffer through this kind of trauma.

"Me too...." she whispered softly, tears continuing to glide down her cheeks.

Jack was both shocked and infuriated. "You don't really mean that, do you? Things won't be this way forever."

Kasumi remained silent.

Ayane's lips parted in a genuine smile, but something hurt inside like a thousand bee stings. Seeing what she had just done to her once best friend had jarred something loose in Ayane's hardened heart, but as soon as it a had appeared, it had vanished within the dark shadows of her pain and anger.

She looked into Kasumi's pained honey colored eyes and saw it again, instantly recognizing the dark blemish that was showing. The thing she had seen during their captivity was now again being reflected in her sister's soft emotional eyes. The massive amount of pain that Kasumi had managed to conceal so well was exposed, and this time it was her fault it was there. Ayane's smile vanished and she looked away. She couldn't see it again. The first time had been enough for her, and Kasumi's hurt was just too much for her to take again.

Jack shook his head and gritted his teeth, but could find nothing to say. At least nothing that would help. He could see that Ayane had regretted her cold brutal remarks, but she still wouldn't mutter a simple 'sorry' to her sister, who obviously wanted nothing more than her forgiveness. She wanted it more than anything in the entire world.

Kasumi dried her eyes and looked up at Jack. "Sorry, I just kind of lost it and--"

Jack leaned close to her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders in a tight affectionate embrace. She slowly and carefully returned his hug and sighed comfortably, resting her head against his chest.

"It's okay, Kasumi. Everything will get better, I promise."

She nodded. "I know."

He smiled and gave her a small kiss on the forehead. Then he leaned back into his chair and held her hand in his own. Then they proceeded to start talking about everything but the last few weeks. He was trying to keep her thinking of the future and not the past, and it was working at the moment.

Myamoto dragged up a chair and also sat next to Kasumi, but before he took a seat, he noticed the look of complete jealousy on Ayane's face. He also noticed that she looked like she was about to cry. But that could have been the lighting in the room.

"I don't think you mean to hurt her. I just think you aren't that sure what you want," he said. "It's okay to show your true feelings."

_I'm sorry!_ She wanted to shout to everyone. _I'm so sorry, Kasumi! I'm sorry for everything!_ _Please forgive me._

Myamoto shook his head when she ignored him. "You bring this on yourself, you know."

Ayane responded by rolling over and closing her eyes, ignoring everyone else in the room, and drowning out her misery.

_

* * *

Tuesday, December 27 _

_4:12 P.M._

_Organization Compound 32_

Smith banged his hands onto the darkened console in frustration. "The systems are far too damaged to fix. We need a lot of spare parts. Spare parts that I don't have."

Thomas nodded. "Yeah, my men missed a lot. They were trained with a focus on hand to hand combat, not firearms. Mix that with a bunch of assault rifles and you get this. Sorry about that."

"If that damned Jack Wallace hadn't shown up, things would be done by now. Both the girls would be dead and we'd both have our own private islands. But look at this place. It'll take forever to get it operational again."

"Then it's a good thing that DOA 4 isn't going to start for a while. If you truly need this place to give orders to your contact, then you should have enough time to fix things."

Smith sighed. "I guess you're right. Let's get back to work."

Thomas hesitated. "Do you have a plan if he shows up here again?"

"To be honest, I haven't given that much thought. But if my 'surprise' in the woods didn't get him, then I don't think there's much I can do. He can't get in anyway. I changed the codes, remember?"

"Somehow, I don't find that reassuring."

_

* * *

Tuesday, December 27 _

_8:37 P.M._

_Charity Medical Complex_

Jack got up from the plush blue chair and put on his black leather jacket. "I should probably get going. Myamoto and I have a few things we need to take a look at. We'll be back sometime tomorrow though."

Kasumi yawned and closed her eyes. "I'll be waiting, Jack."

Her voice was soft and gentle, much like a sweet breeze in a field of blooming flowers. Jack could tell immediately she was feeling more than a little tired. Whatever the doctors were giving her sure made her sleepy, but he knew that with sleep the healing would progress quickly.

He gave her a slight kiss on the cheek and left the room, glancing at Ayane as he approached the door. She had already fallen fast asleep underneath her thick warm blankets.

Jack felt both confused and saddened when he gazed upon her, knowing that her rage towards Kasumi was not entirely about something he would ever come to understand. For the first time ever he was beginning to realize that he would need to learn much more before even scratching the surface of their broken relationship. There were just too many glitches and crossed wires to make sense of everything. Why was Ayane so pissed at Kasumi? Why did she want to break her so badly? What did Kasumi do to cause this, if she did anything at all? These were questions that circled through his thoughts.

He could easily see Kasumi's magnitude of hidden pain, even when she was trying to hide it, and he had seen it tonight when Ayane had ruthlessly lashed out. But the thing about tonight's display of raw, unbridled emotion was that even though she had tried to hold it in check, the pain broke through some kind of thick defensive wall and she obviously hadn't been ready for it. And that sudden unexpected bolt of anguish had caused her to shatter into thousands of shards inside, like a delicate crystal swan in a hailstorm of misery. She snapped.

He knew her better than anyone on the entire planet, and he knew that those words had cut her far deeper than Ayane had realized or intended them to. It was very rare that he ever saw Kasumi burst into a fit of tears and he had only seen it happen maybe five times since he met her. Mostly in the last week, but it had happened maybe once before then. She had been completely oblivious that he had seen her, but he never wanted to bring up such painful issues while they were together. It was something she apparently didn't want him to know and he respected her privacy.

But on the other hand, there was Ayane's story. He had only talked to her maybe three times, including Zack Island. She was a mystery to him and he had to admit that he wasn't clear on her side of things. But knowing Kasumi and who she was, Jack knew that whatever had gone bad between them, it wasn't intentional. Kasumi would never willingly harm anyone she cared about in even the slightest way, especially Ayane of all people. That's just who she was.

But Ayane didn't strike him as someone who would be unjustified in her motives. Whatever was wrong, she blamed Kasumi for it. Whether it was actually her fault or not didn't seem to matter much. All that mattered to her seemed to be the methodical devastation of her sister's spirit. And it was working. It was almost like she wanted revenge for something that had ruined her life while they were growing up. But what was it that had been so terrible?

"Earth to Jack," Myamoto said, waving his arms in the air. "What's up? You're a million miles away."

Jack sighed. "It's nothing really."

"Doesn't look like nothing to me," Myamoto said.

"It just bothers me that Ayane continues to act this way towards her sister, even after what they've just been through together. It's going to destroy Kasumi if she keeps it up."

Myamoto nodded. "Even I didn't expect what she said. That was harsh. But I still think that she really isn't as sure as she presents herself to be."

"Why do you think that?"

Myamoto shrugged. "I don't really know. But the way she reacted when Kasumi started crying showed she was conflicted."

Jack nodded. "I saw that too. The way she smiled but then stopped two seconds later when she looked at Kasumi was definitely a sign of remorse. I'm trying to find some connection to see what might have happened between them, but the only way I can learn more is to ask Kasumi and hope she talks. But enough about that. I think we should get back to what we were doing before. Did you find anything new on the laptop I let you borrow?"

Myamoto thought a moment. "No, nothing that we haven't already seen a hundred times. Face it; we have nothing to go on."

Jack popped his knuckles as he continued to walk down the hospital hallway. "I can't accept that. I need to see Smith pay for what he's done. Maybe we should go find Hayabusa and Hayate and go back to the docks."

"Take a break, Jack. You're working too hard. We can't do anything tonight anyway. It's almost nine o'clock. How much do you think we'll find in three or four hours of scavenging through the dark?"

Jack nodded and was about to reply when to uniformed patrolmen came through the hospital entrance. Jack quietly put his back to the wall and stealthily peered around the corner as Doctor Makita came out to greet them, making sure that they couldn't see him.

"So you're the officers that were sent. Very well. I will show you where they are staying. Follow me, please."

Jack knew he was supposed to stick around and answer questions, but he had expected them to arrive at around seven or seven thirty. When they didn't show up, he decided to wait until he got his story together._ Damn, what am I supposed to say now?_

Myamoto saw the cops as well and sighed. "Well, this isn't good."

"Really?" Jack murmured sarcastically. "I thought that having the cops here would be fun."

Myamoto rolled his eyes. "Well what are you going to do?"

"_We're_ leaving. I can't afford to get into trouble right now. Not with Kasumi so vulnerable. Besides, I'm sure that she'll point out that I had to kill him or we'd both be dead right now. It was self defense."

"Yeah, and then guess where they'll go? To your house. And then they'll ask why you didn't come forward. I don't know how things worked back in America, but here you look pretty suspicious."

"I suppose you're right. I'll think of something when the time comes, I'm sure. Let's go find Hayabusa."

Myamoto nodded and they both left the building as soon as the police had left the lobby and proceeded to Kasumi's room. They had hid in a nearby janitor's closet so the police didn't notice them as they passed. Then when it was all clear, both men exited the hospital and walked out to the dark green Jeep that was parked outside.

_

* * *

Tuesday, December 27 _

_9:01 P.M._

_Jack's Apartment_

Hayabusa had been waiting patiently for Jack to return, wanting information on how Ayane was getting along and on anything that Myamoto may have found last night.

Hayate, however, had decided to return to the village. Both of them agreed that in case Jack failed to locate Smith soon, it would be best if the Shinobi had an experienced leader to coordinate their defenses.

But Ryu wondered if his friend was going to start sending out parties after Jack as well as Kasumi. The man knew everything, and that was a death sentence as far as the Shinobi were concerned. Yet, Jack Wallace would obviously make a great ally in the struggle ahead, so Hayate would most likely hold off on the attacks until this was resolved. After all, Hayate had to realize that without Jack, they would be in far worse shape than they currently were.

"Why am I not surprised?" a voice muttered from the doorway.

Ryu turned around to face Jack, who was standing in the entrance of his apartment. Myamoto was right behind him.

"So how are they doing?"

Jack sighed. "Don't worry. Ayane's feeling just peachy." His voice was thick with contempt.

"And Kasumi?"

"I'd rather not go into any details about that. She's okay by medical standards."

Hayabusa said nothing for a few seconds, thinking about Jack's cryptic response, and then he spoke. "What about otherwise?"

"If you were there, you would know. I was hoping you would come with me today and try to clear a few things up. Or at least show them some support."

Hayabusa sat down on Jack's leather recliner. "I had more important things to do at the time," he said, referring to the long conversation he and Hayate had about Smith, the village, and Jack and Kasumi. That conversation ultimately led to Hayate's return to the village.

"More important things to do?" Jack was curious, "Like what?"

"It's none of your concern."

Myamoto sighed. "Is he always like this?"

"Pretty much," Jack said. Then he returned his focus to Hayabusa. "Listen, I wasn't looking for you so I could waste our time with stupid meaningless questions. I wanted to see if you had any ideas on what we should do next."

Hayabusa shrugged. "Can't you think of an idea on your own?"

Myamoto shook his head. "We've exhausted every approach as it is. We've got nothing."

"Then I suggest you wait until something presents itself. I have no further advice for you." Hayabusa got up and approached the open window.

"Wait!" Jack called out. "Why exactly were you here anyway?"

"I wanted to see how the girls were recovering, so I decided to wait for you."

"That's it?"

"You sound disappointed, Jack. What were you expecting?"

Jack thought a moment. "I don't know. But how can you expect me to just sit on my hands until Smith makes the next move? Kasumi's already paid the price for that kind of strategy and I have no desire to see her hurt any worse. There has to be _something_ you can think of."

Ryu remained stoic as usual, showing no outward signs of impatience. "We've been to the forest and now we know there is something dangerous prowling those dark halls. Our only option would be to return to the docks, but I have a feeling that there isn't anything there. Smith is most likely long gone, Jack. There's nothing to be done about that. You have no choice but to wait."

Jack nodded. Hayabusa's reasoning made perfect sense, but Jack hated the idea of letting the bad guys make the first move. He would just have to keep a careful eye on Kasumi and make sure that no one came near her.

"I guess you're right..." he muttered. "It still sucks though."

Hayabusa said nothing and left the apartment swiftly and quietly with all the skills of an elite ninja

As soon as the man had vanished, Jack plopped down on the couch and looked at Myamoto. "I guess we wait then."

Myamoto sat down in the recliner Hayabusa had been occupying earlier. "This is just like a good game of chess. You have to know your opponent to get the edge. So what do we know about Smith's habits?"

"He likes to hurt women, obviously," Jack's voice was filled with disgust. "And it looks like he's too cowardly to do anything for himself so he hires others to do his dirty work for him while he sits back and enjoys the show."

Myamoto glanced at the ceiling. "Shark. Is that who you're referring to?"

"Duh, who else do we know that worked for Smith?"

"Bayman, for starters," Myamoto said. "And then there's that 'park ranger' you shot."

Jack had completely forgotten about Bayman and Duncan. "Oh, yeah. That's right. Unfortunately, knowing he's a sick bastard who can't so anything for himself isn't exactly helpful."

"What else can you think of?" Myamoto asked.

Jack sighed and shook his head. "You probably know more about him than I do at this point. I bet you've memorized those files I gave you. What can you think of?"

"Honestly, I didn't pay much attention to his habits and techniques. I was only searching for a weakness. But I know someone who definitely would know his habits."

Jack shook his head. "No. I already told you that she needs to recover before we even consider bringing her into this mess."

"Jack, wake up and smell the roses. She _is_ the mess. Right now it seems like everything is revolving around Kasumi. And considering what she has just endured, I think she deserves to be a part of this."

"But--"

Myamoto continued. "I know you want to protect her, but you can't save her from everything. I say we ask her if she knows anything that might prove Smith's weakness. If she saw anything that could tick him off or draw his attention, it would help a lot."

Jack nodded. "I suppose you're right. But there won't be much we can do anyway for at least two more weeks. She needs some recovery time before we try any sort of fighting. But I have an idea that might speed things up, if she's willing to push herself."

Myamoto was curious. "What are you thinking?"

Jack grinned. "I think that if we went to the gym to spar at least an hour a day, she will build back her strength twice as fast."

Myamoto burst out laughing. "Jack, she'll wipe the floor with you, even in her current condition. She's a Shinobi, and she _will_ kick your ass."

Jack chuckled. "Maybe so, but I can hold my own in a fight. And it will sharpen both our senses for the road ahead. However, your plan doesn't involve any fighting, so I think we should go ahead and ask her if she picked up any details."

"Glad you reconsidered. I'll come back around noon tomorrow so we can go see her again."

Jack nodded. "Sounds good. See you later."

Myamoto gave a slight nod and left the small dim apartment, leaving Jack alone to consider everything that had transpired during the day. The argument in the hospital replayed itself over and over again in his head. He fell asleep on the couch again wondering about her past and what had gone so terribly wrong.

_

* * *

Tuesday, December 27 _

_9:12 P.M._

_Adjacent to Jack's Apartment_

Hayabusa returned to the roof of the building across the street where he had set up his temporary base/residence. He thought about Jack's question seriously and closely evaluated the advice he had given. Waiting probably wasn't the best course of action as earlier events had proven, but he wanted Jack to back off for a second a focus more effort on Kasumi.

He wanted this for two main reasons. First, he wanted Kasumi to get stronger quickly so that Hayate wouldn't have to worry. And more importantly, if Jack was concentrating on her, then he wouldn't be paying attention to digging any further into the Shinobi, thus giving him a better chance at not attracting Hayate's attention.

Hayabusa decided right then that it would be best if he went solo for a while. But what was the next step he would need to take? A full frontal assault would be too messy and it wouldn't lead him where he wanted to go. He had a distinct feeling that this was bigger than just Smith and Kasumi. Something bigger had to be at stake here than a single girl's agony and some greedy thug.

Hayate would have to know something about why Smith was so interested in the Shinobi. There must be something in the Mugen Tenshin village that sparked the Organization's interest. Something valuable beyond anything he had considered.

Ryu unrolled his thick black sleeping bag and sighed. Tomorrow he would need to speak with Ayane. Since Hayate had returned to the village where he was needed, Ayane was his best resource on what Smith might really be after.

Kasumi most likely didn't remember or hadn't been graced with such a precious knowledge. After all, she never did step up and take her rightful place as leader after Hayate's accident. It was very likely that Shiden hadn't told her anything too important before she ran away.

The only reason he suspected Ayane knew something was that she was always nosing around in Hayate's business. If anyone besides him knew anything, it would definitely be her.

_

* * *

Tuesday, December 27 _

_10:47 P.M._

_Somewhere in __Long Beach, __CA_

Corso peeked into the old rundown building and nodded with satisfaction. This was indeed the place he had been searching for. It looked like the apartments in this building had been unused for years, save the occasional hobo squatter. The electricity had been cut off and the place reeked of cigarette butts and booze, as was to be expected in this part of LA. He walked over to the dented mailboxes in the darkened lobby and scanned through the nameplates that were still legible.

"A. Peterson," Corso read aloud. "Nope."

He moved his gloved fingers down the rows as if he were reading a shopping list. "M. Benedict," he whispered as he shook his head. "L. Moore, K. Willis."

He continued to read the names with growing frustration. Finally he grinned as his index finger ran over the final nameplate. "J. Wallace."

Corso gave an approving nod and walked triumphantly up the dim stairs leading to the fifth floor of the building. He had searched local newspapers and the Internet for any trace of Jack Wallace as 'Annulus' had instructed him via e-mail. But all he had managed to turn up was an old murder case involving a man named James Wallace.

The obituary of the man is what led him here in the first place. It had clearly stated that James had been preceded in death by his wife, Susan, who had fallen victim of a rare form of cancer seven years prior to his murder. But the woman wasn't what he was interested in. It was the last part of the article. _'James Wallace was survived by his only son, Jack Wallace (16), and his daughter, Victoria Wallace (19).'_

Corso tried the door knob on James's old apartment and sighed when he found it to be locked. But the building was obviously condemned and no one would care in the least if this particular door was kicked in. Besides, there was probably nothing there to steal anyway. He was after clues, not items.

He walked into the darkened apartment, his old leather boots causing the scratched and worn hard wood floors to groan under his weight. The entire place was covered in a thick layer of dust and gray sheets covered all of the old furniture. Surprisingly, nothing seemed too out of place. He noticed that the walls were bare of any pictures or white spots indicating where picture once might have been.

The apartment was tiny, even by the standards of the neighborhood. It was immediately apparent to him that Jack and Victoria weren't spoiled as kids and were raised in a pretty harsh environment.

As he entered one of the tiny bedrooms, the atmosphere completely changed from lonely and cramped to cozy and sentimental. There was a twin sized bed with broken legs and springs against the wall under a simple window. A plain wooden bookshelf was the only other piece of furniture in the room besides a battered chest of drawers that had seen better days.

The bookshelf was filled with dusty picture frames and books on marksmanship and modern firearms. There were also a variety of thick mystery novels and a few whodunit brain teasers.

He walked over to the shelf and picked up one of the frames, dusting it off with his hands. It was a clear photo of a once happy family. The father, James, was standing next to his wife with a smile on his face. The two small children stood in the foreground of the photo and he guessed them to be no older than five and eight. Everyone seemed very content with their perfectly average lives.

But as he looked through the others, Corso saw a story unfolding before his intelligent hazel eyes. When the mother vanished from the pictures, the daughter became more and more different from her father and brother, which was apparent in her defiant stance, her changing wardrobe, and her refusal to smile or stand close to her relatives.

But he instantly noticed that while the daughter was growing further away, Jack seemed to be following closely in his father's footsteps. They stood side by side, often with James's arm around his son's shoulder and a proud look upon his face.

Soon, Victoria was out of the photos altogether and it was just Jack and his father. There were various pictures taken on fishing trips or showing a target from shooting range with bullet holes directly in the bulls-eye.

Corso put the pictures back and left Jack's room, puzzled and intrigued. What had happened to Victoria? And where was Jack now? But the one thing that he was really wondering about was why this 'Annulus' character had taken a sudden interest in this man's life and history.

He shrugged. A paycheck was a paycheck and it didn't matter what things were like in the present. He continued his search.

As he walked down the narrow halls, Corso peeked into another small room, which was littered with posters of old rock bands and torn papers. Clearly Victoria wasn't organized like her brother. Either that or the rats loved all the paper she had left behind. One thing was instantly clear: searching that room would be a waste of time. Victoria obviously didn't like her father and brother and anything that might have proved even slightly helpful was probably long gone by now. So that left one more room: James and Susan's room.

Corso opened the old door and was greeted with an unexpected sight. There was a large brown blood stain on the dirty tan carpet at the foot of the king sized bed. Glass vases lay broken on the floor and dried and crispy flower stems lay beside the pieces. Strips of bright yellow police tape still lay on the carpet near the stain. The room was relatively empty and there had definitely been a struggle during James's attack. And once again the room was too messy to get anything really useful from, so he opened his PDA and started writing up an e-mail.

One thing was clear for certain: this job wasn't going to be as easy as he had thought. At least while he was gathering data on the previous DOA contestants, he had a pretty easy time finding what he needed on the Internet. Famous people were always easy to figure out. But Jack Wallace would present a small challenge, and Corso liked challenges.


	30. Chapter TwentyNine

**DISCLAIMER:** I DO NOT OWN ANY DEAD OR ALIVE CHARACTER. THOSE CHARACTERS BELONG TO TECMO, LTD. AND TEAM NINJA. I AM IN NO WAY INTENDING ANY COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT AND I'M NOT MAKING A PROFIT FROM THE USE OF THESE CHARACTERS. ANY CHARACTER NOT A PART OF DEAD OR ALIVE IS MINE AND MINE ALONE.

**Chapter Twenty-nine**

_Tuesday, December 27_

_11:00 P.M._

_Downtown Okashima_

Thomas had finally gotten some time away from Smith and it was a rare occasion. That imbecile was so damn needy and Thomas figured it was time to celebrate his newfound freedom, so he decided to hit the clubs and see what was up in the shadier parts of town. After all, Smith can fix that mess by himself. It wasn't his problem that Jack had ripped that place a new one. Little did he know that this night was going to go in a very unpredictable manner very fast.

As Thomas walked into a well known club and hangout for many of Okashima's most powerful criminals, he noticed immediately that the atmosphere was much different than usual. Things were tense and the air was heavy like a thick blanket of lies.

The room was dark, except for the bright neon lights advertising certain brands of liquor and the colorful dance lights that flickered on every wall. There was a large dance floor and the booming bass of the loud techno music mix pounded the walls with thunderous force. When he walked into the room, everyone paused for a good three or four seconds before continuing about their business. He had definitely made his impression.

Thomas frequented the bar often and almost everyone knew who he was, and they also knew not to get on his bad side. His intimidating six foot stature and piercing green eyes were plenty enough to discourage anyone foolish enough to challenge him, but if that didn't do the job, his reputation certainly would.

But tonight was definitely different. Everyone was on edge and murmuring behind his back like he was some kind of cold blooded killer. It just so happens to be that he actually is one. As he took an empty seat at the bar, two or three men who had been sitting nearby immediately left, drunkenly stumbling over each other to get out of the doors as fast as possible.

"You want something?"

Thomas sighed and ran his fingers through his ruffled dirty blond hair. "Yeah, I want to know what the bloody hell is going on. Things are different tonight."

The bartender put down the slender glass she had been polishing and leaned forward, her face just inches from his. "Word's out, Tom," she whispered. "People are saying you took an Organization contract. Is that true?"

Thomas rolled his eyes. "What if it is, Ami?" His tone was menacing and he wasn't afraid to start a fight. In fact he had been spoiling for one ever since Jack Wallace had obliterated his men.

Ami backed away from Tom and resumed polishing her glass, even though it was already crystal clear. Thomas grinned. He had made her nervous and it was quite obvious.

"Um, it's just that the Organization isn't some small time crime syndicate, Tom. Rumors are that your new boss is onto something big. I know for a fact that-"

Thomas leaned forward and lowered his voice to a malicious hiss. "What exactly do you _know,_ Ami? Hmm?"

Ami almost dropped her glass. "Uh, nothing. I just heard that-"

A strong hand grabbed Thomas's shoulder from behind and the room was suddenly silent as if someone had just pulled a gun on him. Thomas casually turned around and stared down the large form of Takashi Kato without fear or any other emotion showing in his cool calculating eyes. "Yeah, What do you want, Kato? I thought I taught you your lesson."

Kato simply snickered. "You were lucky, Wilson. Get out of my club. I don't want no stinking Organization goon scaring off my paying customers."

Thomas glared at Ami, who stood with her back against the wall gazing at the floor. "How typical. I expected no less from you, Ami. How'd you do it this time, eh? You have another magic button under that counter or did you get one of your buddies to alert this gorilla when I walked in?"

Ami shook her head nervously. "No, it's no like that, I swear! I wouldn't do that to you."

"Not bloody likely. You're so much different than before. I don't even know why I bother talking to you at all anymore."

Ami was fed up and shot a piercing glare from her dark brown eyes that could shatter mirrors. "What do you expect! Smith isn't exactly a popular name in this part of town."

Thomas simply ignored her and stood up, matching Kato's height with his own. "So what are you going to do if I refuse to go?" He laughed. "Are you going to 'show me who's boss' like last time."

Kato popped his knuckles, but Ami intervened. "Don't do it, Takashi!"

Kato laughed at his employee. "It's just a puny British pig." He leaned forward. "Oink, oink, oink."

Thomas took this opportunity to strike the tall Japanese man in the jaw with a bone shattering left hook, sending Kato to the floor. He snickered and glowered down at the fallen club manager at his feet. "How pathetic. At least last time you got one or two punches in."

Kato snarled and kicked at Tom's knees, hoping to break the English man's legs like twigs, but to his surprise Thomas dodged his furious kicks as if they were nothing.

"Pathetic," he muttered in his thick accent as he kicked Kato's ribs with his boots.

Kato coughed and sputtered on the floor for a few seconds and then he waited for Thomas to take another cheap shot. As soon as that happened, Takashi grabbed Tom's ankle and sharply twisted it sideways, making Tom gasp and fall to the floor right beside him.

With the speed of rabid wildcats, both men jumped to their feet and all the patrons stood entranced by their heated battle. They all openly cheered for Tom, but he knew that they would like nothing more than to see him fail. They were just sucking up, hoping that they weren't next on his list.

Kato gritted his teeth. "Leave, Tom. I don't want to fight you."

Tom laughed. "And who could blame you? I wouldn't want to fight me either."

He let out a savage yell as he launched his left fist forward like a bullet, but Kato had predicted Tom's direct attack and leaned backwards just in time to avoid the crippling blow. Before Tom had time to react, Kato grabbed his forearm and turned his back on the European mercenary. Then he used his momentum to swiftly toss Thomas over his shoulder in a single fluid movement, sending him flying towards the bar. Tom violently smashed into the wall, causing many bottles of booze to crash to the floor and shatter.

"Someone's been practicing..."

"You're weak, Tom," Kato sneered. "Have you had enough or are you ready for more?"

Thomas reached for a broken bottle and slowly climbed to his feet, making sure to keep the broken glass hidden behind his back. "Go to hell, Kato!"

He raised his arm high above his head and smashed the bottle over the manager's head with massive force, sending shards of clear amber glass everywhere. As Kato stumbled around and tried to regain his senses, Tomas roughly grabbed his broad shoulders and brutally jammed his right knee into the Japanese man's abdomen a few times, making Kato shout out in pain and double over.

"No! Takashi!" Ami yelled.

Thomas grinned as he forcefully jabbed his elbow downward into the man's back, which was the final blow that ultimately forced Kato to the hard floor at his feet once again. He was just about to kick his defeated opponent when Ami's nervous voice stopped him short.

"Stop it, Tom! Just go away! We don't want trouble with Smith," she shouted above the din, panic edging into her voice.

"Smith is the least of your problems, Ami," Thomas said darkly as he hauled Kato off the hardwood floor. "Now, listen here Kato. I came here to have a bloody drink and get pissed like any other swine in this dump you call a club. You're going to let me stay, or you're going to be eating all your meals through a plastic tube for the next six months. You got it?"

Kato gave a slight nod and unruffled his dark suit jacket.

Thomas grinned and let go of Takashi. "Good. Now go back to the hole you crawled out of."

Takashi muttered a few colorful curses and left, his hands balled into tight fists of rage. After all, it was better to be at the devil's right hand than in his path. And Thomas Wilson was much worse than any demon.

Thomas sat back down in his bar stool and ignored the quiet shocked murmurs of the patrons.

"You said you heard something, Ami? Tell me what it is you think you know about our project."

If looks could kill, Thomas would most certainly be dead. "Nothing. It was just a silly rumor."

"What kind of rumor?" Thomas asked as he stole a nice frosty beer from the person sitting next to him.

Ami watched in disgust as he guzzled the cold amber liquid. "Just something my friend at the hospital told me. She's the receptionist during the graveyard shift and she overheard something that some guy and one of the doctors were saying in the hall. It's nothing really."

Thomas nodded and remembered the girls. The Completion had probably ravaged their bodies in the most horrible way imaginable, but he felt no remorse for them. He finished the beer and tossed the empty bottle over his shoulder. "Right. I believe you, Ami."

Ami let out a relieved sigh and walked down towards the other end of the bar, her waist length black hair tied neatly behind her with a glossy red ribbon.

"Tom! What the hell are you doing here?"

Thomas turned around and nodded towards Bayman as he approached. "I could ask you the same question. You went AWOL on us after the shoot out. What was that all about?"

Bayman shrugged. "I did my job and got my money. I don't need to do any more of your dirty work unless you have another job for me."

"If you had nothing to do you wouldn't still be in Okashima. So why are you here? Revenge?"

Bayman chuckled. "You could say that."

Thomas nodded. "So is it the girl? What was her name again? Kasumi?"

"Yeah. That little bitch isn't getting off that easy. But she's only half the problem."

Thomas gestured for Ami to bring him another beer. "Oh yeah? You going after Ayane, too?"

Bayman was confused for a moment. "Ayane? No. Why the hell would I care about her? I want Jack."

Thomas furrowed his brow. "Jack Wallace? That makes both of us. That bastard killed all of my men saving that little red headed wench, and I want a piece of him."

Ami slammed the beer down in front of Thomas. "Anything else?" she asked, her voice heavy with a deep loathing. She mentally filed away his comments so she could do a little digging later.

Thomas waved her away like an annoying insect. "No, Ami."

Bayman grabbed her wrist roughly and jerked her towards him. "Give me a beer, doll. And make it quick."

Ami winced. "Let me go! Get you own damn beer, you ugly brute!"

Bayman didn't appreciate this remark and squeezed her delicate wrist hard, making her eyes water and her bones strain.

Thomas saw this gesture and grabbed Bayman's arm, clamping down on him with shocking force and causing Bayman to instantly release Ami from his vice grip. She immediately held her arm and massaged it tenderly as she walked away.

Thomas glared at Bayman. "Don't _ever_ grab her again."

"Someone's got a soft spot."

Thomas took a swig out of his new beer. "Just leave her alone. She's had things pretty rough and I don't want you making life harder for her."

Bayman chuckled. "I see you have no problems making her miserable."

"That's different."

Bayman shrugged. "Whatever. I came here hoping to find something out about where Jack and Kasumi might be, not to start fights with beautiful bartenders. I tried to go to Kasumi's original torturer, but the man was weak and knew nothing. He didn't even know his victim's name."

Thomas laughed. "How pathetic. Of course you aren't much smarter are you? Why don't you just go back to the hospital and finish the job?"

"That would be the stupidest thing to do in a situation like this. They already know what I look like. I wouldn't make it halfway to her room before the cops would be all over the place."

"Well, if you had just listened to me earlier and waited until she was released, you wouldn't be in this mess. It was very foolish to attack someone in the hospital, Bayman."

"It worked didn't it? And I messed her up good too," he chuckled. "By the time I was through with her, she was begging for me to stop. You should have seen her cry."

Thomas put down his beer after he took another swig. "You find that amusing? Only barbarians find such things amusing. I'm in it only for the money and that's it."

"I didn't see you protesting while Smith was making her scream. You ain't getting soft are you?"

Thomas laughed. "Me? Hell no. Just because I don't condone torture, doesn't mean that I'm going soft. Her cries meant nothing to me, Bayman. Kasumi and Ayane can rot for all I care, as long as I get paid."

Bayman nodded. "Glad to hear it. So why are you here?"

"It's Smith. Ever since Jack tore up his precious base, all he's done is whine about DOA4 and how he doesn't have the supplies to make the deadline. We've tried to repair it, but it's going really slow. I had to take some time for myself so here I am."

"Deadline? What deadline?"

Thomas grinned. "It has something to do with his superior. The guy calls every so often wondering about our progress in finding the Shinobi. There must be something very valuable up there to be causing this much of a fuss. Whatever it is, it's not gold. It has to be something much more than that. Something mystical."

Bayman chuckled. "Mystical, huh? Well, I wouldn't go that far, Tom."

Thomas simply shook his head and took another drink of beer. "I would."

_

* * *

Wednesday, December 28_

_9:52 A.M._

_Charity Medical Complex_

Kasumi woke up the next morning feeling refreshed and slightly better than before, although her head ached with a dull throb, and her hip and shoulders still felt utterly awful. But her body no longer burned or hurt when she moved, which was a very good sign.

But the physical pain wasn't what was bothering her. Ayane's earlier remarks had still left quite a large scar on her broken heart and it affected her even now. Did she really mean all those terrible things she had said yesterday? Did Ayane truly wish she had been tortured to death? Such questions made Kasumi hurt inside, and it was not a feeling she wanted to relive again. So she did what she always did and pushed her pain aside to be reckoned with while she was alone and no one could see her cry.

"...my head..." Ayane moaned as she slowly opened her eyes.

Kasumi forgot about her questions and turned her head towards her sister who was just now waking up. "My head hurts too. Are you okay?"

Ayane considered hurling more hurtful insults, but she stopped herself. Instead she settled for a cold and bitter glare filled with contempt.

Kasumi caught this glare and knew deep down that nothing had changed overnight, contrary to her inner most wishes. "Sorry," she muttered sadly. "I was just concerned."

Ayane's piercing stare softened and she looked away from her half sister. She wanted so much to devastate Kasumi, but what was the point? To crush her? When Ayane looked at her sister, she realized that there wasn't much more she could say to make things worse. Kasumi was already crushed. "Why are you doing this? Why won't you just give up?"

Kasumi looked surprised that Ayane even had to ask. "Because you're my friend. I still care, Ayane. I always have."

Ayane wanted to curl up and forget everything bad she had ever said to her sister. Kasumi was like an abused pet dog that never seemed to want to bite back, no matter how much you strike and whip her. She would just sit there and whimper until things got better. But things never got better, and Kasumi had to realize that sooner or later. The fact that she continued to show concern just made Ayane feel even worse. "I'm not your friend, Kasumi. Friends would never do what I've done. You're better off without me."

Kasumi watched curiously as Ayane rolled onto her side and turned away from her. "Do you want to talk about it? I'll listen."

Ayane allowed herself a resentful smile, but knew Kasumi couldn't see her. "Jack said the exact same thing. You guys really shouldn't bother with me. I'm nothing but trouble."

"But I want to help. Besides..." Kasumi hesitated as she thought of her captivity and the horrifying pangs of misery it had wrought upon her. "...I _need_ to talk about it."

Ayane rolled over at the almost musical sound of her sister's voice. It was tinted with heartache and Ayane wondered why she didn't go to Jack and unleash her woes.

"Why me? Can't you spill your guts to Jack? I'm sure he'd be more than happy to listen to your sob stories." Her voice was like a sharp blade, even though she didn't mean to sound hostile. She thought about adding the statement _"I could care less,"_ but the truth was she did care to a small extent and she couldn't bring herself to do any more harm. Not now anyway.

Kasumi closed her beautiful eyes and sighed, softly massaging her sore hip to relieve some of the throbbing pain that was shooting through her leg. "He wasn't there. I just want to talk to someone who knows what it was like. I want to talk to you."

"Well maybe I don't want to talk about it. Did you ever think of that, or are you too busy feeling sorry for yourself!"

Kasumi flinched at her sister's abrasive statement and hung her head in shame. "I-I never considered... I wasn't trying to..." she struggled to find the right words. After a few seconds of silence, she responded in a clear compassionate tone. "I'm sorry, Ayane."

"Don't you remember any of your training? Find inner peace and stop dwelling on the pain. That's what I did."

Kasumi smiled softly, raising her face so that their eyes met evenly. "No, you buried it. Just like you always do. It would be good for both of us if-"

"If we what? Had a nice long chat about how some small weakling tied us up and tortured us for days without food and water! How would that change anything?" Ayane's eyes were tearful and her tone was harsh.

Kasumi's expression became apologetic. "I didn't mean to-"

"Too late."

Kasumi looked down at the floor. "Please, Ayane?" she pleaded. "I can't hide it anymore."

"What is it that you want to say?" Ayane asked. "Whatever it is, it isn't going to change anything."

"I know, but-"

The door swung open and both doctor Nikata and Makita walked into the room, cutting Kasumi's sentence short.

"Are you guys feeling any better today?"

Kasumi nodded. "Yes, but my arms and hip still hurt. When is that going to go away?"

Karei consulted her clipboard and thumbed through the various pages. "Your muscles will take some time to heal so those areas will stay pretty tender for at least the next week. Maybe a few days longer."

Ayane's shoulders hurt as well, but she was very grateful that her hip hadn't been abused as badly as Kasumi's. At that moment Ayane realized that her sister had bravely endured twice as many atrocities as herself and still hadn't given in to the pain. Maybe she really did need to take a load off. But now wasn't the time for such things.

Karei turned to Ayane, clearly expecting her to be stubborn and difficult. "And what about you?"

Ayane looked down at the sky blue sheets. _I've burned so many bridges..._

"I'm okay."

Karei nodded and turned to Nikata. "See, Mitsuo, I told you they were going to be fine."

Nikata still had a look of doubtfulness on his face. He looked at Kasumi. "What about the nightmares? Have they returned?"

She gazed at the ceiling and shook her head. "No, not yet."

Karei left the room and Nikata was about to follow when he noticed Kasumi gingerly rubbing her leg. "I wouldn't do that if I were you. It will only make the joint more irritated. A nurse should be by in a few seconds to change your bandages. I'll tell her to bring you an electric blanket that you can bunch up next to it. That should help."

Kasumi smiled in appreciation and nodded. 'Thank you."

Nikata sighed and left the room.

Glancing at Kasumi after the doctors left, Ayane still felt a deep sense of malice for her sister. But those thoughts were like a wildfire that was running dangerously low on fuel. Ayane couldn't deny that Kasumi's pain far outweighed her own and maybe it would be okay to let her release some of that burden. Such things obviously weren't meant to be contained, and she finally resigned herself the building guilt inside her heart. "Okay, Kasumi, we can talk," she muttered dejectedly. "I'll listen."

_

* * *

Wednesday, December 28_

_10:36 A.M._

_Organization HQ, __Tokyo_

Annulus sat behind his heavy walnut desk and read the email over and over again, not quite absorbing the information.

_Jack Wallace is the son of a man named James Wallace who was murdered almost five years ago in his apartment. After that, the man started a private investigation firm in downtown __Los Angeles__, presumably to find his father's killer. But when that business went under he moved to __Japan__. I think you can figure out the rest. He has only one living relative and she's residing somewhere in __Chino__. Do you want me to check it out?_

_-Corso_

Annulus angrily slammed his PDA down on the desk and muttered a few choice words that would make a sailor blush. James Wallace? That was a name he hadn't heard in a very long time, and he had hoped to never hear it again. If Jack really was his son, things could get very complicated.

One question plagued his mind. How did the son of James Wallace get involved with the Shinobi and survive? And how was it that the name Wallace had always harassed his business? It was like some kind of damn curse that wouldn't just leave him be. This kid must be something special. It didn't matter now though.

There was a few options he could take to simplify things. He could either send someone to pay Jack off, hire him, or kill him. The choice would be Jack's to make, of course. But what of the relative? Hmmm...

Annulus brushed his silver hair from before his slate gray eyes and picked up the PDA. He opened his email account and began typing up a response message.

_Go to __Chino__ and get as much information from the relative as possible, without being conspicuous. We don't need any trouble with the law, Corso. After you retrieve the information, email me with it and we'll go from there._

_-Annulus_

He smiled darkly as he pushed down on the send button. He pondered sending an assassin to find Jack and make an offer or finish him off, but he decided to wait until things were clearer about the son of James Wallace. There was no need to reveal himself before DOA4 unless absolutely necessary. And if Jack was anything like his old man, he could prove very useful...

_

* * *

Wednesday, December 28_

_11:15 A.M._

_Myamoto's Apartment_

Jack tossed a jumbo breakfast burrito to his friend and took a large bite out of his own. "Sorry I'm late, man, but I had to take care of a few chores before I could come over. My place is really starting to look like a dump and when Kasumi comes back I want things to be at least halfway decent."

Myamoto laughed. "Then you should probably go check into renting a different apartment."

Jack grinned and nodded. "Yeah, I know what you mean. I bet I've lost my deposit for sure. So you ready to get going?"

Myamoto held up a small strip of paper as he put on a faded denim jacket. "Actually I wrote down all the questions I thought would be relevant. Take a look and see if you can come up with anything else."

Jack took the list and looked it over. "Hmm... I don't really see anything you left off. You sure you want to ask her these?"

Myamoto took back the list and crammed into his pocket. "Sure. Why? Are they unreasonable?"

Jack shook his head. "No, not at all. As a matter of fact, I think you covered everything pretty well. I just hope she can answer them. Let's go before we run into the rush hour traffic."

Myamoto nodded. "Right."

As they drove to the hospital, Jack thought more and more about yesterday and what Ayane had done. Something big must've happened when they were kids and he had been thinking about what it might be all morning long. But he couldn't find anything that would justify how Ayane had treated her. There was nothing he could think of that Kasumi could've done to evoke such blinding hatred. Maybe he just wasn't looking hard enough. Or maybe he was looking too hard. The mystery was making his head spin.

He shrugged and abandoned the idea, knowing that he would probably spend all evening contemplating it whether he felt like it or not. Any sort of mystery always did this to him and he never usually got any peace until they were solved. That's one of the reasons he had made such a great private eye. And after he mastered his ability with the Beretta and developed his instincts, Jack was one of the best in downtown L.A.

In a mater of minutes, Jack had driven to the hospital and parked the Jeep, barely avoiding the heavy midday traffic. He shut off the car he turned to Myamoto. "Be tactful. She's in a very precarious spot right now and one wrong word could send her toppling over the edge."

"I know. Don't worry about her, Jack. Everything's under control."

Jack nodded. "Yeah, I think you'll do good. And I'm sure she can handle it. After all, she's made it this far, right?"

They entered the hospital and started down the hall that led to Kasumi's room, but Karei stopped them before they were even halfway there. "Where did you guys run off to last night? I told the cops that you would be here when they arrived."

Jack sighed. "I had something that needed to be taken care of," he lied. "Maybe if they had been here earlier things would've been different."

"Fine, but they still want to speak with you. It sounded pretty urgent."  
"I'll be sure to remember that, doc. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to see Kasumi. Is that all right?"

Karei stepped out of their path. "Of course. I have other patients to check up on anyway."

Myamoto watched her leave and then faced Jack. "Dude, you need to talk to the police. Things will only get worse if you keep avoiding them."

Jack nodded. "Yeah, especially since I'm on their radar now."

"Well, let's go talk to Kasumi first and then we'll figure out what to do from there."

Jack hesitated for a split second and then nodded. "Right. Her room is just around the corner."

He smiled as he approached 23A, because instead of hearing arguments and angry insults, he heard Kasumi and her sister speaking softly and he even thought he heard a gentle giggle.

He stopped Myamoto right before he pushed through the door. "You hear that? Did we just enter the Twilight Zone or something?"

Myamoto grinned. "Is it so hard to believe, Jack? I knew Ayane wasn't that heartless."

Jack smiled. "It's about time. It looks like things are finally starting to look up."

Myamoto opened the door and stepped inside, followed closely by Jack. He noticed right away that Ayane didn't look too well. Her expression was sad and she definitely had something on her mind. Maybe she was feeling bad for what she had said earlier? Her sister, on the other hand, was beaming like the morning sun.

Kasumi immediately noticed as they entered the room and parted her lips in a radiant smile. "Hey, guys! Come on in."

Jack winked at her. "Don't mind if I do. So how are you feeling?"

Kasumi gestured towards a bunched up blanket wrapped around her slightly swollen right hip. "Much better. I almost can't feel it at all."

"That sounds great, Kasumi. You'll be outta here before you know it." He shifted his weight uneasily. "Myamoto wants to ask you a few questions that might help us take care of Smith for good. You willing to give it a shot?"

Kasumi nodded, her face still lit up in a bright expression. Jack was relieved to see that Ayane had decided to make a change. Even one small act of kindness from her sister, lifted Kasumi's spirits sky high. Hopefully, the trend would continue. Maybe Jack could even get a civil answer out of her now.

But she looked like a wilting flower in the sweltering desert heat. Ayane had rolled onto her side and faced the wall, turning her back on all of them and breathing a deep sigh. Something was wrong and he felt a need to try to make things better. But maybe he should just leave well enough alone for the moment. Trying to reach out only made things worse with her. Ayane was complicated that way.

Myamoto cleared his throat and took out his very short list. "Um, this shouldn't take too long. If it gets uncomfortable for you, just say the words and this interview is over, okay?"

Kasumi nodded and sat up straight. "Go ahead."

Ayane also took notice, but she made no move to indicate she was paying any attention.

"Okay. My first question mainly refers to your time with Shark. Did you notice any sort of habits that Smith may have had? Any sort of weakness?"

Kasumi's smile slowly faded as she thought deeply about that first week. She remembered that Smith had often taken things to the next level, like when he had dumped the water on her and the time he had punched her in the hip, which was still paining her. She even had a vague fuzzy memory of the short man plunging his hunting knife through her right hand. "He...was impatient, I guess. Um, he often liked to keep hurting me even after Shark had wanted to stop and let me rest for a few hours. He wanted his answers, or he wanted me unconscious."

Jack shook his head sadly. "Are there any specific examples you could give us?"

Kasumi closed her brilliant honey eyes and sighed. "Um, there were so many instances when he would lose control that I can't really recall any exact details." She paused a moment to think and then opened her eyes. "There were the beatings. I remember the beatings well. At first it was only a few hard slaps, which was something I could've handled. But after a few days, the punches came and everything would just melt into one long painful blur. I'm sorry, but it's all so foggy."

Jack nodded to her. "No, that's fine. What's next, Myamoto?"

Myamoto looked at Kasumi and he knew how hard it had been for her to answer that question. Maybe Jack was right. Maybe it was too early to be talking about these things.

Kasumi noticed him pause a moment and she raised her eyes to look at him. "Please continue. I'm fine."

"Okay, after you were kidnapped from the hospital, were there any changes in his attitude the second time?"

Kasumi sighed and lowered her eyes once again, trying to fight through the blinding emotional pain and remember any details. "After Shark was out of the picture, Smith became much more aggressive. Before, I would at least get a few hours sleep and a couple bites to eat, but in the warehouse I got nothing. The only rest we got was if we had passed out, but he only let us rest for about fifteen minutes before waking us with a violent blow or smelling salts."

Ayane rolled over and gazed at her sister with renewed respect. It was time she contributed to the conversation. "Don't forget that twisted game he made us play."

Jack was surprised to see Ayane had actually positioned herself to face the group, but he hid it from view. He wanted to include Ayane as much as possible. "Game? What kind of game?"

Ayane scoffed. "It wasn't a game. It was just some sick way that he could make me think it was my fault Kasumi was getting hurt. Too bad it worked."

Jack knew that feeling all too well. "Ayane, it wasn't your fault, I'm sure. Don't beat yourself up over this."

Kasumi agreed. "Yeah. You did what was necessary. I had to do the same thing."

Ayane was afraid to admit it, but at first she almost felt good about how Kasumi was getting tortured. But after a few hours of that, things began to change.

Jack turned back to Kasumi. "So all he did was get more impatient. Is that what you're saying?"

Ayane remembered the instance where Smith had almost stabbed her in the waist after she had accused him of being afraid. "He didn't just get more aggressive, Jack. He became desperate."

Jack was intrigued. "Desperate? You mean like scared or something?"

Ayane nodded. "That's exactly what I mean. He almost..." Ayane paused a short moment to compose herself. "He almost killed me because I accused him of being afraid."

Kasumi gasped. "When did that happen!"

Ayane sighed. "When you were passed out. I think it was right after he electrocuted you that first couple of times."

Jack took a deep breath and shoved his hands into his pockets. "What do you think he was afraid of?"

Ayane shrugged. "I don't know. All I remember is that he walked into the room and yelled that he was just going to keep doing stuff to us until we told him..." Her sentence trailed off as she took a few more seconds to maintain stability. "And that's when he started choking me."

Jack didn't bother asking her what she was being asked because Myamoto had already cleared that up for him. And since he promised Kasumi that he wouldn't tell anyone he knew about the Shinobi, he wasn't going to give Ayane any hints.

"I'm so sorry, Ayane," Kasumi whispered sadly. "If only I-"

Ayane shook her head. "What's done is done. What's the next question?"

Myamoto finished scribbling down a few notes based on the girls' responses and then read his final question. "This is the last one, guys, so just bear with me for a few more seconds. Was there anything that stuck out in any of his conversations or phone calls?"

Kasumi couldn't recall Smith ever having any conversations in the white room, unless it was with the English man. What was his name again? Thomas? She sighed and shook her head. "Sorry, guys, but I just can't remember anything like that. There was only one other man Smith talked to and he never said anything important. They always made sure to leave the room when they discussed something important."

Jack turned to Ayane. "What about you?"

Ayane responded only by shaking her head. "No. Nothing comes to mind."

Myamoto pocketed the piece of paper once again and took a seat in one of the blue hospital chairs. "That's it. Thanks for your time. I know it was hard for the both of you to go through that."

Kasumi lay back down against the pillow and nodded. "I just hope that we can help you catch him."

Jack sat down as well and took off his leather jacket. "You did great."

Myamoto faced Jack and nodded. "So it looks like we have a weakness. The man is after," Myamoto paused a moment, barely catching himself before he blurted out the Shinobi village. "He's after something and he wants it bad. All we need to do is lure him out with some false info. And then-"

Jack placed his right fist into his left hand and popped his knuckles. "And then we take him down."

"Hey, I want a piece of him too. That bastard isn't getting away with what he did to me," Ayane said darkly.

Kasumi nodded slightly. "And I want to help. Don't do this alone, Jack."

Jack got up. "Actually, I don't think I could if I wanted to. We're going to need both of you."

Kasumi was just about to reply when Ayane sat up and stared at the door. "Ryu!"

Jack whirled around. "_Ryu_ Hayabusa? That's your first name? No wonder you didn't tell me. If I had a name like that-"

"Shut up," Ayane said with a glare. "What kind of name is Jack Wallace, anyway!"

Hayabusa held up his hand. "No need to fight. I just stopped by to see how you were doing, Ayane." Hayabusa was careful to leave Kasumi out of his statement. She was a runaway and had to be treated accordingly.

Of course he hadn't expected Jack, so he couldn't reveal the true reason he had paid this visit. It was true that he wanted to see Ayane again and make sure she wasn't hurting, but another reason was ask her what Smith was really after. But since Jack was present, he couldn't mention anything. That would contradict the advice to wait that he had given earlier, and the last thing he needed was some nosy American messing things up. Jack had been a great man to have in that gunfight, but right now it was best that he worked alone. At least until matters were made clearer.

"I will be fine, Ryu. Where's Hayate?"

Hayabusa took a seat in the last chair in the room. "He went back home. He told me that there were things that needed to be watched."

Jack wondered why the man hadn't stuck around to see his sisters pull through this mess. It was very odd that Kasumi's brother would just turn around and run home-

At that exact moment, Jack's cell phone rang loudly, making both Kasumi and Ayane flinch, but only slightly. It was then clear to him that both of them were still shaken up quite a bit.

He sighed and answered his phone. "What's up?"  
Absolute quiet was the only response. In the background was the sound of rain and thunder, which told him this call was coming far from where he was now. But that was all he could deduce from the first few seconds of eerie silence.

"Hey if you're going to bother calling me, you should at least have the guts to speak up when-"

There was the unmistakable sound of a sharp gasp and then line went dead.

"Who was that?" Kasumi asked.

Jack narrowed his deep brown eyes and glanced at the display for a second. _ID blocked._

He put the small silver flip phone into his pocket and glanced at Kasumi. "I don't know."


	31. Chapter Thirty

**DISCLAIMER:** I DO NOT OWN ANY DEAD OR ALIVE CHARACTER. THOSE CHARACTERS BELONG TO TECMO, LTD. AND TEAM NINJA. I AM IN NO WAY INTENDING ANY COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT AND I'M NOT MAKING A PROFIT FROM THE USE OF THESE CHARACTERS. ANY CHARACTER NOT A PART OF DEAD OR ALIVE IS MINE AND MINE ALONE.

_Author's Note:_ Hey, I'm sorry if it seems a little slow guys, but I promise that the next chapter will speed the plot up a bunch, k? Enjoy!

**Chapter Thirty**

_Wednesday, December 28_

_11:30 A.M._

_Downtown Okashima_

Shark had waited a long time in the hospital, hoping to get a second shot at talking to the girl, but the cops had complicated things. Upon their arrival he promptly left the medical complex, abandoning any chance he would ever get to speak with Kasumi in a very long time, and maybe that was for the best. If the police had seen him, they would have noticed his shabby suit and ruffled hair instantly and want to know about the stain on his shirt and who had put it there. He didn't need that kind of trouble. Jack Wallace was plenty enough.

So after he left the Charity Medical Complex, Shark spent the night in a nearby storage building with a weak lock. It wasn't exactly a Holiday Inn, but it was enough to keep him warm for the night and it was better than nothing. But he didn't really get that much sleep. His plagued conscience made sure of that.

When he awakened late the next day he went out to wander the crowded streets of downtown Okashima, trying to figure out what to do next. He couldn't go to Jack and making a return trip to the hospital was both risky and pointless. Besides, Kasumi had made it abundantly clear with her teary eyes and wavering voice that there was no way he would get her forgiveness. The damage that he had done was too extensive for her to overlook, and he couldn't blame her for that.

So what now? Go back to Smith and work for the Organization? No, he would never work for that worm again. His cruel and merciless ways were unrivaled from any other man he had ever worked for, and Shark had worked for some exceedingly terrible people in his specific profession.

Should he help Jack and his former victim take Smith down? Shark shook the foolish thought out of his head as soon as it entered. Going back to Jack would only result in more violence and quite possibly his demise. And how would that help?

Shark was a turncoat now, but he was on nobody's side. He was standing alone and caught in the crossfire. But at least the girl had survived.

And then the ever annoying question returned, relentlessly driving itself into his mind.

_Why do you care so much, Shark? What is so important about that girl?_

He wanted to believe that it was because he had reformed. That maybe he could be a 'good guy' so to speak. But to tell the truth, it was his own personal greed that drove his motives, just like any other time. He only cared about his own mental health and didn't give a damn about how Kasumi felt because of what he did. After all, the only person that matters is number one, right?

So the only thing he really wanted to do at that moment was get drunk and forget anything had ever happened. But what he had to do didn't involve booze or any other drug. He had to go back to the Organization, but not to work for Smith. He would play his former boss like a good hand of cards because all he really wanted was to get a nice big chunk of inside information that might be valuable to certain people in town who would like nothing more than to see Smith disappear forever. So many people wanted to get rid of the Organization presence in Okashima that anything useful would be worth thousands upon thousands of dollars. He could really live it up then. And after he had struck it rich, who would need the forgiveness of a broken kunoichi and a washed up American detective?

Shark grinned. "I'll show them. I'll show them all."

_

* * *

Wednesday, December 28 _

_1:00 P.M._

_Charity Medical Complex_

"I fold," Myamoto said with frustration.

Jack grinned as his friend placed his hand on the foot of Kasumi's bed, cards face down. That left only himself, Hayabusa and Kasumi who were left in the game. Ayane had folded long ago. Luck just wasn't with her this time and Jack could tell she wasn't in the mood for a game of poker anyway.

"Okay, anyone else feel like quitting?"

Hayabusa remained like a statue and his expression was solid like stone. He made no indication whatsoever that he wished to drop out.

Kasumi giggled and shook her head. "Nope."

Jack shrugged. "Fine, whatever you want. I see your ten yen and raise you twenty more, just to keep things interesting."

Kasumi examined her hand closely and wondered if Jack was bluffing or if he actually had a winning hand. It was always hard to tell with that man. She finally decided to take the risk, since they were playing for such a small amount of money anyway. She placed her bet and held her cards close to her face as if they contained a sacred secret. "Okay," Kasumi said. "You're turn, Ryu."

Jack glanced at Hayabusa with a friendly grin. "C'mon, you know you want to fold. Just quit while you're ahead."

Hayabusa really didn't know what he wanted because he didn't even know if he had a winning hand or not. He just agreed to play this silly game so that he would have an excuse to stick around until Jack left. Eventually, he decided to stay in the game as well. "I will continue."

"Okay," Jack said as he organized his cards. "Everyone show your hands."

Kasumi flashed her dazzling smile and placed her hand face up to reveal a three kings, a joker, and the ace of hearts. "Beat that," she said with gleeful confidence.

Jack feigned defeat. "Wow, that's a good hand." He placed his own cards face up on Kasumi's bed and grinned. "But I think a straight flush tops four kings, don't you?"

The odds that Hayabusa had anything that good were remote and it was most likely the man wouldn't realize it if he did, so Jack thought that he was definitely the winner.

Ryu's face remained stoic as he tossed his cards onto the bed. "Well, I don't know if that's good or not, but it was fun."

Jack stared in disbelief at Ryu's hand. "No way! That's a royal straight flush!"

Hayabusa nodded slightly. "So that's good?"

"Hell yeah, that's good!" Myamoto exclaimed with a chuckle. "Dude, that was awesome!"

Kasumi had been a little disappointed when Jack had beaten her, but now she smiled at the irony. "Looks like you've been taken out, Jack," she laughed. "Too bad."

He faced Hayabusa. "I'll tell you one thing; you have one hell of a poker face. Let's see if your luck holds, Ryu. Let's deal out another hand."

Hayabusa gave a slight nod. "Sure, if that's what you want." All Hayabusa wanted was for Jack to leave so he could get to the point and continue his mission. It wasn't his intention to sit here all day and play a foolish game of cards. However, he did find it amusing that he had beaten Jack with an undefeatable combination and wondered if he could pull it off one more time.

As Jack shuffled the cards, Kasumi turned to Ayane. "Do you want to play again?"

Ayane casually blew her lavender bangs from in front of her eyes. "I guess so," she muttered reluctantly. "What else is there to do?"

Jack handed Kasumi the deck of cards. "Okay, dish 'em out."

Kasumi eagerly took the deck with another bright smile on her face and began to deal out the cards. But before the game could start, Doctor Makita entered the room.

"Am I interrupting something?"

Jack glanced at his cards and then at Karei. "No. What do you need doc?"

Makita straightened out her white lab coat. "I just wanted to remind you that you should probably go see the police soon. The faster you give them your statement, the faster they can catch whoever did this."

"Sure. I guess I should probably let Kasumi rest some more anyway."

Kasumi put her cards down. "Aw, that sucks. I had a really good hand, too. Can't we just play one more, Jack?"

Jack smiled at her and then returned his focus to the doctor. "After this game, I'll go, okay? After all, I have to win my money back."

Makita nodded. "Just make sure you see them. You don't want to look suspicious do you?"

Jack fiddled with his cards. "Don't worry, doc. I'll be out of here in five minutes at the most."

After Karei left, Myamoto gave Jack a concerned glance, but he simply ignored it and examined his new hand.

Kasumi raised her cards once again and placed one of them face down on her lap. "I need one card, please."

Jack's hand blew chunks. He had a completely worthless assortment of numbers, so he decided to draw five and hope for something better. He tossed his cards onto the foot of Kasumi's bed and grinned. "Give me five."

"I want two," Myamoto said, sounding a little unsure of himself.

Hayabusa organized his cards neatly and nodded in approval, his face expressionless as always. "None."

Ayane sorted through the cards she was holding and scoffed. "What a lousy game. I want four."

Kasumi happily passed each player their cards and then held her hand close to her chest.

Jack watched each person carefully with his perceptive brown eyes as they received their cards, knowing that usually he could always tell who had a good hand and who didn't. Except Ryu, of course. That man was like a brick wall.

It seemed immediately obvious that Kasumi had a winning hand, because she was almost bursting with joy. Either she was winning, or she was just happy to be alive. Jack thought it was most likely a little of both, and was glad to see that maybe she was putting the pain behind her.

Myamoto on the other hand, had a pretty neutral expression, but Jack knew he had some strong numbers. He was just trying too hard to keep a straight face and it gave him away.

Ayane, like himself, most likely wasn't going to win. Her expression was dull and mopey, which told him as an investigator that it wasn't just the crappy cards she possessed that was bringing her down. But he already knew this and wasn't going to pry. That never usually did anyone any good. Especially with Ayane.

"Well, I fold," Jack said as he tossed his cards. "Luck just isn't with me."

Myamoto grinned as he looked at his hand. "I'll stay."

Ryu said nothing, his hard green eyes examining Jack closely. "I'll stay as well."

"There's no way I'm folding with what I've got," Kasumi laughed.

Ayane gloomily tossed her cards onto the floor. "This game sucks. I quit."

As it turned out, Kasumi did actually win with a very nice full house consisting of aces and eights. She beat Myamoto's two pair by a long shot and Ryu wasn't even in the ballpark with his numbers. Jack gathered up his deck of cards and placed them back in his jacket pocket. "I guess I should get going. Get some rest guys."

Myamoto put on his denim jacket and faced the girls with a new respect. "And I really appreciate what you did. Answering those questions could really help us out. Thanks."

Ayane rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Just make sure that you let me get a piece of that asshole."

Jack grinned. "Don't worry, there will be plenty of trouble to go around, I'm sure. Let's get going Myamoto. You want a ride, Hayabusa?"

Hayabusa scooted his chair closer to Ayane and turned his back on Kasumi, who was already looking a little sleepy. "No, Jack. Thanks, but I think I'll stick around for a little longer."

"Suit yourself. I heard it was supposed to rain later, so when you have to swim back to the apartments, remember this offer."

Ryu simply waved him away and turned to Ayane.

As he walked out of the door, Jack sent a mischievous wink at Kasumi, who smiled back at him. "Get well soon, Kaz. I might be back later."

Kasumi smiled and nodded. "Okay. Be careful, Jack."

As soon as both men had left the room, Myamoto turned to Jack. "Is it just me or is the staff putting some serious pressure on us to go to the cops?"

"So it wasn't just me who noticed that? It does seem a little odd, but the doc's right. If I don't go now, I'll look bad. We need to get this straightened up, but the timing just doesn't sit well with me."

"But what about Smith?" Myamoto asked. "What's our next move?"

Jack shrugged in a carefree manner. "Smith? This is Kasumi's fight more that it is mine and I think we need to wait for her to get better before we try anything."

"And remember Ayane has a score to settle too," Myamoto added.

"How could I forget?"

_

* * *

Wednesday, December 28 _

_2:30 P.M._

_Somewhere in __Chino_

Corso adjusted his suit and dusted of his black fedora before knocking on the large white door with peeling paint. Hopefully, she was home. Hopefully, things would go as planned and everything would go off without a hitch. As the door slowly opened he remembered Annulus' email: _'We don't need trouble with the Law, Corso.'_

There would be no trouble, of that he was most certain.

"Who the hell are you?"

Corso revealed his bright white teeth and flashed Jack's sister a charming smile. "Are you Miss Wallace?"

The gorgeous woman's chocolate colored eyes instinctively scanned the street in both directions and she leaned forward, pushing some of her flowing brown hair behind her shoulder. "That's for me to know and you to find out."

Corso maintained his cocky smile and strolled into Victoria's house like it was his own. "Cozy place you got here, Vicky."

She angrily narrowed her eyes into a hateful glare. "Don't call me that! And get out of my house, before I kick your ass!"  
Corso glanced at her, obviously unfazed. "Nice to meet you too. I have a few questions and then I'll be out of your hair. By the way that's a beautiful necklace you're wearing. Was it Susan's?"

Victoria's hand flew up to her silver arrowhead necklace and she widened her eyes in surprise. "Did you know my mom?"

Corso knew that from here on in he would have to choose his words with extreme caution. "Yes. She was such a beautiful woman. Yet she had quite a spicy attitude, much like yourself. Tell me, is this how you treat all your guests?"

"You aren't my guest. A guest by definition is usually invited." Vicky's voice was offensive and her expression matched. "Now, if you don't tell me who you are, I'm calling the cops."

Corso was prepared for such a response. "Go right ahead. I won't stop you."

Victoria was taken aback, and she made no movement towards the phone.

"Oh, that's right," Corso laughed. "If you called them, you would have to explain why you have a stolen car parked outside. And then that would probably lead to the garage where there are twelve more waiting to be stripped down and parted out."

"That's not a stolen car," Vicky lied.

"Don't bother. I'm not here to bust your little operation. I'm here because of your brother. If you would be so kind as to clear a few things up, I'll keep your 'legitimate' business under my hat." Corso tipped his hat towards her as if he was reinforcing his statement.

Vicky balled her hands into fists. "I won't be blackmailed by some CYPHER goon!"

Corso was surprised to say the least. "Huh? CYPUgh!"

Victoria had sent a sharp left punch into Corso's stomach and was about to follow it up with a lightning quick right hook when Corso grabbed her forearm with almost instantaneous reaction time and countered with a powerful gut wrenching blow of his own, sending the beautiful woman crashing to the floor. As Victoria landed flat on her back, Corso began to laugh, which only pissed her off even more.

She jumped to her feet and took a stance.

Corso stopped smiling and tossed his hat onto a nearby chair. "You posture needs a little work, Miss Wallace. And your technique is very sloppy. But if you wish to continue, so be it."

Victoria smiled much in the same way her brother would in the same situation. "I'm so going to enjoy this."

She yelled angrily and lunged forward, faking a quick left and then shooting her right arm upward in a sudden uppercut, but Corso smiled and easily dodged her attack by simply leaning backwards. He acted as if she was nothing but a bratty child throwing a tantrum, and this fueled her anger even more. She let loose with a furious, yet powerful, blow aimed at his chest, but Corso juked left and she ran right past him, tripping over a phone cord and again landing on the stained tan carpet covering the floor. He had defeated her without landing a single blow.

"Don't even try, Miss Wallace. I'm just here about Jack." He mentally filed away the reference to CYPHER to be looked at later. He extended his hand down to the fallen woman at his feet.

Victoria slapped away the stranger's hand away and climbed to her feet, still fuming. "I don't have a brother. He died a long time ago, along with my scumbag father. Good riddance to both of them."

"So he's dead? That makes no sense. Tell me what he was like."

Victoria plopped down in her sagging leather chair and angrily tossed Corso his black hat. "If I tell you, will you leave me alone?"

Corso caught his silk lined hat and placed it back on his head. "I'm already gone, Vicky."

She sighed and gazed out of the window. "Jack was the golden boy. He was everyone's best friend and a great brother to have, even if he was a smart assed little punk." Victoria parted her lips in a nostalgic smile and then shook her head, erasing the old memories of her sibling from her mind. "But that changed twelve years ago. It all changed the day mom died. She was dad's shining star; his perfect dream. Susan was dad's everything and after she was gone, he fell hard. He came home drunk more often than not and most of the time he was passed out in his room, clutching mom's old pillow in his arms. It wasn't long before things hit rock bottom. If you ask me his murderer did him a favor. I'm just glad I wasn't around when it happened."

"What does any of this have to do with your brother?"

"You have to be the most annoying person in town." Victoria said with disdain. "Wait until I finish."

"Very well. Continue, Miss Wallace."

Victoria shot Corso a glare and continued her story.

_

* * *

Wednesday, December 28 _

_3:05 P.M._

_Organization Compound 32_

Smith had spent the entire first half of the day complaining to himself and cleaning up the disaster that used to be his base of operations. Thomas had taken the night off and he was supposed to have gotten back a few hours ago, but there was still no sign of the British man.

Fixing things was definitely not how he had wanted to spend his Wednesday afternoon. Especially since he sucked at it. The entire compound was scrap and all he really wanted to do was hunt down and destroy Kasumi for bringing this down on him. If it weren't for her, none of this mess would've happened in the first place and things would've been so much easier.

"Don't you ever take a break? You've been at it for hours now."

Smith forgot about what he was doing and turned around at the sound of the thick cockney accent, his face etched with impatience. "Where the hell have you been! I can't repair this shit hole on my own."

Thomas toyed with his familiar Zippo lighter and chuckled. "Relax. You'll get this place up and running sooner or later."

"Sooner or later?" Smith hissed. "Do you realize what will happen if I fail to send my contact into DOA 4? I need this place finished now!"

Thomas strolled casually over to where Smith was standing. "What's the rush? DOA 4 isn't going to start for quite a while. You have plenty of time."

"Well excuse me if I don't want to spend all my waking hours in this hole in the ground."

Thomas rolled his eyes. "What else have you got going on?"

"Have you forgotten our favorite little runaway and her sister? I want both those bitches' heads on a stake! The sooner I finish fixing this dump, the sooner I can focus on hunting them down."

"What is it with you? All you ever talk about is 'Die Kasumi,' or 'I'm going to tear them apart.' You need to clear your mind or you're going to go nuts. They are of no more use to you. Why bother?"

Smith's eyes narrowed to hateful slits. "Why?" he laughed darkly. "Look around you. Do I really need an explanation? If I ever see her again, she's going to wish she was never born!"

"I think you may have already achieved that, you pathetic worm. After all, no one survives The Completion unchanged. Don't you realize that there are more important goals to focus on than your childish fits of rage?"

"Quit your incessant yapping and help me out, before I lose my patience."

Thomas stood tall and put away his lighter. "Screw off, little man. Do I look like an electrician to you?"

Smith balled his hands into angry fists. "Do you want your damn money or not!"

Tom gave a slight nod.

"Then do what I tell you."

Thomas shrugged. "Whatever."

As he walked over towards a damaged computer console to begin some simple repairs, he watched Smith storm off in a huff. That man really needed to let Kasumi and Ayane go and concentrate on the more important things. If his gut was right, they would probably be seeing those two again anyway. And then Smith could have his bloodthirsty revenge, no matter how distasteful and unnecessary it was. As long as the man left Jack Wallace to him, Tom could care less who Smith mutilates.

Thomas grumbled as the computer screen stubbornly refused to come to life. He pounded it with his fist and cursed loudly until the broken machine finally responded. Unfortunately, the data that flickered to life on the dim screen was corrupted. Or was it...

"Smith, get your ass back here. We have an intruder."

"Jack?" The short man asked.

"I don't know. Whatever it was, it activated the motion detectors. All visual surveillance equipment is still offline. Could be a stray cat for all I know."

"A cat? Who gives a damn about some stupid cat!"

"I said it _could_ be a cat, not that it _was _a cat. Why don't you open your bloody ears and pay attention."

Smith cursed under his breath and studied the data on the computer console. "It's still here, too. Go check it out, Tom. We don't need any trouble right now."

Thomas nodded and walked towards the elevator. He would take out his frustration with the irritating man known as Smith out on whatever poor creature was waiting for him outside, and he was going to enjoy it. On his way out of the dark and dreary Organization facility, Tom made sure to grab a two way radio and clip it onto his belt. Just in case.

But when he arrived outside a surprising sight awaited him. Instead of a stray animal or even Jack Wallace and his ninja pals, a total stranger lurked in the shadow of the warehouse, shielding his eyes from the bright midday sun.

"Who the hell are you?" Thomas demanded.

"Is this warehouse fourteen?"

Tom made some tight fists and walked over to where the man was standing. "Who wants to know?"

The mystery man pretended to dust some lint off of his tattered suit jacket. "The name's Shark. Now, are you going to answer my question or just stand there like an idiot?"

Thomas took a quick glance at the man's electric blue eyes and laughed. "You have no idea what you're doing, do you? Go away while you're still able to leave. I don't have time to waste beating up some dirty hobo, no matter how tempting it is."

"Hobo? I'm no hobo, you English snob. I used to work for Smith and I'm here to resume my employment."

Thomas wiped the smile from his face. "Former employee? Hmmm..."

He considered the fact that if this man was telling the truth, he might actually be able to fix a few things. And if the base was repaired earlier, he could spend more time doing whatever he wanted instead of working in this cesspool. Shark could be Smith's new lackey and Tom would do what he did best; kill people that Smith wanted gone. But what if this stranger was lying...

"Prove it, and I won't beat you to a lifeless pulp."

"Sure," Shark said smoothly. He was now glad that his time with Jack had caught him up on Smith's current situation. "You guys have been working to find the Shinobi Village that's located somewhere on that mountain. So far, Smith has had a runaway named Kasumi tortured beyond any hope of full mental recovery, and he's taken a pretty good piece out of her sister, Ayane. But then Jack Wallace came along with a few of his angry Shinobi buddies to rescue"

Thomas held up his left hand and reached for his two way radio. "Smith, I think we've got another man to add to the payroll."

Static poured through the speakers for about five seconds before Smith responded. "What are you talking about? Who's out there?"

"Some guy named Shark. He says he used to work for you and wants another chance."

There was a very long pause and finally Smith's voice returned, full of flaming fury and hate. "Bring him down," he hissed. "I have a few questions for Mr. Shark."

_

* * *

Wednesday, December 28 _

_3:10 P.M._

_Nozome's Burger Hut_

Myamoto took the last bite of his cheese burger and wadded up the wrapper. "Stop stalling, Jack. Rip it off like a band-aid. It'll be quick and painless."

"Painless my ass! I'll end up in jail if I go to them. What'll happen to Kasumi if I get locked up? I know she's no weakling, but right now she's in no condition to defend herself. She'll be toast."

"I see your point, but I think I have a solution."

"Oh yeah?" Jack asked as he swallowed a curly fry. "Lay it on me."

"Don't tell them everything. Right now, they can't link you to Duncan's murder and as long as you don't take your Beretta with you, they won't have a clue. Just let them ask all the questions and make sure not to volunteer any information."

Jack nodded. "I would like to think it's that simple, but the truth is that Kasumi may have already told them everything. And even if she told them it was in self defense, I'm not going to look good for waiting so long to report it. One way or the other, I'm looking a lot like a bad guy. And how will I explain our little attack on warehouse fourteen? That wasn't self defense, man. We were the ones who started that fight."

"Only to save Kasumi's life, Jack. She would've died a horrible death if we hadn't done what we did. And what about Ayane? We had to fight."

"Not really. I'm not saying that I'm not glad we saved Kasumi, because you know that I love her more than anything. But what I'm pointing out is that I thought she was already dead during that fight. I attacked purely for vengeance."  
"But the cops don't know that."

"Good point, but what about Hayate and Hayabusa. How will I explain their presence without sounding crazy? 'Yes officer, Kasumi and Ayane are both Shinobi ninjas.' Tell me, would you believe that lame ass story if you were a cop?"

"Yeah, I see what you mean, but you don't have to mention them. Or at least not Hayate. Hayabusa is still in town so he could always provide a statement if it was needed."

"_If_ he sticks around."

Myamoto shrugged. "Okay, well"

Jack glanced out the window and popped out of his chair. "Aw, shit! It's raining and I left the top down on my Jeep. We gotta get out of here."

Myamoto finished off his drink and nodded. "Yeah, I guess we should get going. But tell me this: Why the hell do you have the top off that Wrangler in the middle of winter?"

Jack shrugged as he put on his leather bomber jacket. "I just thought it would be nice if the interior of my Jeep got ruined even more than it already is." His voice was heavy with sarcasm. "What do you think?"

After struggling with the tan canvas top for almost half an hour, Jack and Myamoto managed to finally get the cover on the Jeep and start driving back to the apartments.

"So, what now? Are we going to the cops, or not?"

Jack took a quick glance at his watch and shook his head. "No. It's only three thirty and I still have plenty of time to get that done."

Myamoto gave Jack a disapproving frown, but said nothing more about the subject. Instead, he got out that piece of notebook paper with the questions and the responses. Studying them might give him an idea.

As they continued to the rain slicked streets of Okashima, Jack's phone rang once again, and the glowing blue screen flashed the same mysterious words: _ID blocked._

Jack instantly grabbed for the sleek flip phone and answered in a rough tone. "Yeah?"

Again nothing but silence poured through his speakers.

"Listen you little punk, I'm not going to deal with your stupid pranks anymore. If you have something to say, spit it out already!"

The line suddenly went dead silent as the person on the other end of the call hung up, as they did before. Something strange was going on.

"Who was that?"

"I don't know and I don't care. It was another prank call." He paused a moment. "Hey, you seem to know a lot about Shinobi customs and stuff. Do you think you can answer a question of mine that been bugging me. I've been thinking about it ever since I found out that Kasumi was Shinobi and something just doesn't fit."

Myamoto looked up form his notes, clearly curious. "What is it?"

"Why do you think Kasumi doesn't live with the rest of her family? Hayate and Ayane are the only two relatives I know she has, and I only found out about Hayate when he showed up a few days ago. She's never once mentioned her mother or father. Hell, she doesn't talk about her past at all, even if I ask her about it. Why do you think that is?"

Myamoto shrugged. "Now that you mention it, I do find it a little strange that she doesn't live in the village."

"You mean you don't know? Some expert you are."

"Well, excuse me, Jack," Myamoto said, slightly offended. "It's not like anyone's ever talked to a real Shinobi before and lived to tell about it. Everything is best guess when it comes to your mysterious girlfriend. You should probably just ask her about it next time we're at the hospital."

Jack shook his head. "Not until I can get her alone. Ayane can't know that I know. I made her a promise that I wouldn't let anyone else find out. Especially her brother." Jack thought a moment. "You know, I remember asking her about it before she got sick and she mentioned that it had something to do with an attack on the village. Do you think you could dig something up?"

"I don't know..." Myamoto said, "That kind of information wouldn't be easy to find. But I'll do what I can."

Jack nodded. "Right. Then I guess we're going to your place to do a little snooping. Feels like the old days, doesn't it?"

Myamoto nodded with a smile. "Yeah, sure does. Watch the road."

_

* * *

Wednesday, December 28 _

_3:27 P.M._

_Charity Medical Complex_

Hayabusa looked into Ayane's fiery amber eyes and sighed. "Are you sure that's what he may be after? How would anyone other than Shiden and Hayate even know about them?"

Ayane gave Ryu an irritated glare. "Do you think I would just make it up? You asked me what I thought it was and I told you. It's not my problem you don't believe me."

Behind him, Kasumi stirred from her deep sleep, the sound of Ayane's sharp voice waking her. "What's going on, guys?" she asked groggily.

Hayabusa showed no signs of disappointment or annoyance, but inside he was groaning at the fact that Ayane had managed to wake her sister. Kasumi had just fallen asleep about a half an hour ago, and he was hoping to get a little more information before being interrupted.

He turned to Hayate's sister and shrugged, his piercing green eyes boring into hers. "Nothing, Kasumi. You should probably get some more rest."

"Is there something you two aren't telling me?" Kasumi asked, obviously intrigued by Ryu's secrecy. "Maybe I could help or"

Hayabusa sent her a look that stopped her sentence cold, even though it wasn't hateful or aggressive. But it wasn't friendly either. "Don't bother yourself with it. It's a matter that no longer concerns you."

Kasumi was stung by Ryu's blunt statement. Without being hostile or angry, he had just shoved the fact that she was a runaway without a home in her face, and it hurt. But she didn't dare let it show. "Oh...I see."

Ayane glanced at her sister, slightly annoyed at how she was acting. "Don't be such a child, Kasumi. It's not like it's a big deal or anything. Just go back to sleep."

Kasumi sighed and gave a slight nod, knowing that trying to pry would only result in another argument. "Okay. I'm still feeling a little tired anyway. Could you at least try to keep it down over there?"

Ryu gave her a slight nod. "We will try."

As he waited for Kasumi to drift back into her deep sleep, he turned Ayane's answer over and over again in his mind. _Could that really be what Smith wants? But how did he find out about them and what could he possibly plan to do with such a thing?_ _Hayate must be alerted immediately._

Ayane watched Ryu's face intently as he continued to think and wanted to smile at him, but she stopped herself before anything happened. She never usually felt this way about her brother's best friend, and it wasn't a feeling she was used to.

Ryu glanced out the window and nodded. "Jack was right. It's raining pretty hard out there. It looks like I'm stuck here for a while. In the meantime, I want you to think hard about what you just told me. There has to be something else."

Ayane rolled her eyes. "Why did you even bother asking if you weren't going to believe me? That's what I think now, and I'm still going to think that in fifteen minutes. Nothing's going to change."

"Then pray that you're wrong, Ayane." Ryu said seriously. "Pray that you are wrong."


	32. Chapter ThirtyOne

**DISCLAIMER:** I DO NOT OWN ANY DEAD OR ALIVE CHARACTER. THOSE CHARACTERS BELONG TO TECMO, LTD. AND TEAM NINJA. I AM IN NO WAY INTENDING ANY COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT AND I'M NOT MAKING A PROFIT FROM THE USE OF THESE CHARACTERS. ANY CHARACTER NOT A PART OF DEAD OR ALIVE IS MINE AND MINE ALONE.

**Chapter Thirty-one**

_**9 Days Later...**_

_Saturday, January 6_

_12:23 P.M._

_Organization Compound 32_

Shark plopped down into a nearby leather swivel chair and wiped his sweaty forehead with the back of his hand. The base was almost spotless and the room was now filled with the bright glows of the many restored computer consoles. "Done... Finally..."

Smith raised his fists high in victory. "Yes! We are finished! Now we must get moving. DOA recruiting starts at the end of the month and we have to get Polaris into the contest before the boss gets pissed. I'm not going to lose Kasumi this time."

Shark raised a finger. "Where's your British snob at?"

Smith shrugged. "Probably watching the entrance, like usual."

As his boss walked away towards the phone in the upstairs command module, Shark allowed himself a mischievous grin. Now was his chance to continue the snooping he had been secretly conducting behind Smith's back. He spun the chair he was sitting in around to face one of the computer consoles. He deactivated the screen saver and logged in under a stolen account. He had recently entered a drinking game with one of the network analysts from downstairs and he had won by a mile. It's too bad that the analyst got 'taken care of' for losing his ID. Poor bastard.

The screen flashed for a second and then he was in at the highest level without a hitch. Now all he needed to do was find something dirty. Something Smith couldn't bounce back from and he had only about five minutes to pull it off.

As he searched through the vast network of Organization protocols and files, a minute ticked by. Then two. In the middle of the third minute, something strange was found. Not quite the bombshell he was looking for, Shark was willing to settle on the seemingly unimportant file designated 'CYPHER' hoping that maybe he had hit pay dirt.

"CYPHER?" he whispered. "What the hell is this?"

"What are you doing?" Smith's voice echoed from the bottom of the stairs.

_Damn!_ "Nothing, Smith. Just a few system diagnostics."

Smith drew closer. "I had the IT guys running all that crap an hour ago. It seems strange that you want to run the same tests twice, doesn't it?"

Shark quickly exited the file and logged out, and not a moment too soon. Smith stepped right behind him only to find Shark staring at a blank screen.

"Test's over. Everything checks out." Shark said calmly with an unflinching voice.

Smith took out his hunting knife and toyed with it. "Get one thing straight, worm," he hissed, "You are only alive because we needed someone with some mechanical skills and Thomas demanded I not kill you. But now that everything's fixed, your life is in my hands. Don't cross me, Shark, or I will dissect you like the maggot you are."

Shark stood up. "I'm not afraid of you. I'm not some poor helpless prisoner that you can just beat down and torment any time you feel like it. Keep that in mind when making your pathetic threats."

Smith returned the knife to its scabbard and glared at Shark as he confidently strode away. "Yes," he whispered to himself, "But unlike that girl, you can be broken."

He reached for a phone sitting next to a blank monitor. "Get me the IT department. I want to trace some activity on node 5."

_

* * *

Saturday, January 6_

_12:53 P.M._

_Charity Medical Complex_

"I thought you said he'd be out by now!" Kasumi practically shouted, her voice filled with worry. "Why isn't he here?"

"Hey, don't get all pissed at me! If he had listened a week ago, I'm sure we wouldn't even be in this mess. Why didn't you try to get him to come forward sooner?" Myamoto said as he pushed her wheelchair down the hall. "If you want to blame someone, blame yourself."

Kasumi crossed her arms and pouted her lips. "I thought he had already told the cops everything. During the interview I made sure to tell them it was self defense. I just don't understand."

Ayane slapped her forehead in irritation. "Duh! Are you weak in the upper story? It's the fact that he waited almost five days after our interview to tell them that makes him look more like a murderer than a rescuer. Are you blind or just plain stupid?"

"Ease off, Ayane," Myamoto muttered. "This isn't anyone's fault but Jack's."

Hayabusa shook his head as he turned Ayane's chair around a corner. "Still, he should be out by now. I wonder what the holdup is?"

"I just got back from visiting him almost ten minutes ago. He wouldn't say anything except that I should try my best to keep Kasumi out of danger. He wants you to stay with me back at my apartment until he finds a way out. He didn't say anything about you, Ayane, but you're more than welcome to sit tight with us."

"I'd rather eat a fistful of maggots than spend another second with you guys," Ayane spat.

Hayabusa grunted. "Actually you have no choice. It's either with them or the streets. I'm heading back to see your brother about something as soon as you leave this place."

"What! You mean that I have to stay with her?"

Hayabusa nodded. "At least until Jack can resolve this mess."

Ayane glared at the white plaster walls as she passed by, cursing Kasumi but not hating the situation entirely. "Hmph. Who knows how long that's going to be?"

They finally reached the front desk and Myamoto walked up to the daytime receptionist to sign a few discharge papers. After he was handed the clipboard, he turned to face the rest of the group. "You know, it could just be nothing."

"It's not nothing," Kasumi insisted. "Ryu's right. Something strange is going on."

Myamoto shrugged and handed back the clipboard. "Well, there's nothing we can do about it. And I f I know Jack at all, I know that he'll find some way out of it. He always does. We should get going back to my apartment. It's not safe for you guys out in the open like this."

"Wonderful," Ayane muttered.

Hayabusa wheeled the irritable kunoichi outside, but there was no vehicle to take her to.

"Where's that Jeep?" Kasumi asked. "You know, the green one Jack always drives?"

Myamoto groaned. "Damn, I forgot all about that!"

"What are you talking about?" Ayane asked grumpily. "You _do_ have a ride for us, right?"

Myamoto laughed uneasily. "Not quite."

"What! You mean we have to walk!"

"It's not my fault! The police insisted on impounding the Jeep and searching it for evidence. I don't know anyone else that owns a car."

"Great," Ayane murmured. "This is just perfect."

Kasumi smiled at her younger sister. "Cheer up, Ayane. This is the perfect time to stretch our legs. We need to get stronger sooner or later. We might as well start sooner."

"You would say that, wouldn't you?"

Ryu let go of the chair. "She's right, Ayane. I must get going if I'm going to make it to your brother before nightfall. Goodbye."

"Bye!" Kasumi chimed as she waved her hand in the air. "See you later, Ryu!"

"Wait, Hayabusa. You can't just leave me alone with these two."

Hayabusa was already gone and Ayane's words reverberated throughout the empty parking lot.

Myamoto extended her his hand. "The sooner we leave, the sooner we get there."

_

* * *

Saturday, January 6_

_1:20 P.M._

_Okashima Police Department_

Jack sat in the small cell on his cot, just staring at the ceiling and cursing himself for ever thinking coming to the cops was a good idea. _'That damn doctor was wrong. This was a useless waste of time. I just hope that Smith doesn't find out that Kasumi is relatively undefended at the moment. She's almost as good as new, but that right hip of hers is still sore, not to mention her shoulders. I'd just feel better if I were there.'_

"Guard!"

One of the Japanese officers walked over to his cell with an exasperated glare upon his face. "What do you want now, Mr. Wallace?"

"I want a phone call. I get a phone call, right? At least that how it worked back home."

The officer laughed. "You're joking, right? You used that phone call when we brought you in on Monday. The rule is you get _one_ phone call, not two."

"Oh, c'mon! It's not like it can do any harm. I'll even let you listen in if it'll make you feel any better."

The guard answered by simply shaking his head.

Jack resumed staring at the ceiling. "Well, at least you could clue me in on when you plan on letting me out of this dump."

The officer burst into laughter once again. "You actually expect to get out of here? You expect us to just let you go after committing murder?"

Jack got up off his cot and sent a piercing glare towards the guard. "Let's get one thing straight, man. I didn't _murder_ anyone! He helped torture my best friend for a whole week. He shot her twice and then laughed about it, damn it! It was self defense."

"Yeah, yeah. We have the report and the victim says it was justified, but if that's the case, then why'd you wait so long to show up, killer? How do we know that you two are in on this together? You're hiding something and the captain is going to find it. Until then you're just going to have to sit tight."

"But this is bull!" Jack shouted. "He shot her. That bastard almost killed her! And you dare to call _me_ the murderer! Some detective you are, asshole."

"That's enough!" the officer yelled. "I don't have time to waste talking to you. I have paperwork to do. So long, Mr. Wallace."

"Fine," Jack said as he lay back down. He started counting the ceiling tiles to pass the time, praying that Kasumi would remain safe until he found a way out.

The more he thought about her safety, the more he longed to see her and missed her sorely. He hadn't seen her radiant smile or heard her delicate voice since last Sunday night and would give anything to be with her now. _'Too bad the cops are all morons,_' he thought bitterly.

But there might be a way to fix this somehow. If he only could find a way to see Myamoto again. Sure, he had stopped by earlier before swinging by the hospital to get Kasumi and Ayane, but their visit had been cut short and he had no time to outline a plan of escape. Plus, at the time he figured the cops were going to free him sooner or later and he was just preoccupied with thoughts of Smith coming after Kasumi. Nothing else mattered.

But now that he had a few seconds to think things over, something occurred to him that just might get him out of this mess. But then what? All he'd do once he got out was start planning more trouble. It looked like he would have to find his own way out of this sticky situation.

Jack slowly sat up on his cot and popped his knuckles, closely examining his cell. The concrete floor was worn and cracked in the far corner of the room, but nothing helpful presented itself. The cinder block wall behind him was bare and the iron bars solid. It looked pretty dire.

He rested his head in his hands and sighed. "C'mon, Jack. Think. Think!"

But nothing came to mind.

* * *

The officer walked back to his desk and picked up his phone, already counting his money in his head. He dialed the number and smiled darkly. "We have him. Whenever you're ready."

"Good. Keep an eye on him. I'm sending someone over right now to deal with the problem."

_

* * *

Saturday, January 6_

_2:03 P.M._

_Charity Medical Complex_

Thomas swaggered into the front doors of the hospital for one reason and one reason alone: Security. Nothing else mattered and right now there was a serious risk that needed to be dealt with immediately. Ami had a big mouth and her conversation last week at the smoky night club had given her friend at the hospital some very unwelcome attention.

He had debated whether to kill the receptionist or not for almost two days and then came to the decision to watch her for a while and see what she did. If she showed any signs of interest in this complex affair, he would eliminate her. If not, well maybe he'd kill her for sport.

And unfortunately for Miss Kikyo Izumi, she had taken interest rather quickly. Ami would be crushed, but she should've known better.

However, Tom knew that she would never suspect him, no matter what the other people say. She was just too damn trusting and that was her major flaw.

"May I help you?" the receptionist asked.

Tom smiled. "That depends on your cooperation, Kikyo. Could you take a few minutes and step outside with me?"

Kikyo mouth hung open, instantly knowing what that thick British accent meant. "Y-You're that man that Ami told me--"

Thomas nodded as he leaned onto the counter. "The name's Wilson. Now you can either come along, or I can take you. The choice is yours."

_No, no, no! This can't be happening!_ Kikyo thought. She began to sweat nervously and she leaned forward. "Just tell me what you're here about. Maybe you want to see a friend?" she asked hopefully.

"You wish." Thomas smirked. "That would make things easy, now wouldn't it? Come along now. I haven't got all day."

The receptionist stood on trembling legs and clumsily followed the British man outside. "What do you want? I have work to do."

Thomas reached inside his suit jacket. "You seem to have taken interest in matters that don't concern you. Tell me what you know about the case of a young Japanese woman who was staying here. She was suffering from numerous physical injuries consistent with beatings, electrical shock, and chemical abuse. Her name was Kasumi."

"I c-can't," Kikyo said as she adjusted her delicate glasses. "That's confidential, Mr. Wilson."

Tom laughed and pulled his hand out of his pocket.

Kikyo had no clue that she had been holding her breath until she saw what was in his hand. It was just an old scratched up chrome lighter.

"Forget Kasumi. She's not what I'm after, anyway. You must've seen the man that came to visit her, right?"

"There were a few of them. Be more specific."

"Tall, maybe 5'11." Had spiked brown hair and a leather jacket. Ring any bells?"

Kikyo nodded reluctantly. "You must be referring to Mr. Wallace. I'm afraid you're wasting your time."

"Yes, Jack Wallace, to be more precise. If you know his name, you know something else. Tell me everything or find out what if feels like to be gutted like a fish."

Kikyo gasped and her eyes widened. "Uh... he was angry. That's all I remember. He was mad at a man named Smith for hurting Kasumi and he was mad at her sister for making things worse. He didn't say anything to me and I didn't ask. I don't know anything else, I swear!"

"That's not what I heard," Thomas said casually. "Didn't you discover a little something about a colleague of mine who was watching them for me?"

"Yes, but I didn't tell anyone."

"Yeah, but it's not like you didn't try. I've been informed that you told the police, but they had a hard time believing you. After all, who would believe a thief? The only reason you aren't in jail for stealing those drugs from the hospital is because you managed to bribe a few of Okashima's finest."

"So you have nothing to worry about then," Kikyo insisted. "I'm harmless."

"The fact that you know makes you a liability. You must be silenced, love."

"N-no! If you leave me alone, I can tell you where to find Mr. Wallace. I swear he knows more that I do!"

Thomas raised an eyebrow and put away his lighter. "How interesting. Where can I find him?"

"The police department. I heard he was arrested this week for murder or something. It was on the news."

Thomas shook his head and groaned. _Smith is going to try to take my target, that bastard! He knows I want Jack, yet he failed to tell me where to find him. And I'm sure he knows. He'd be all over that kind of information like stains on a mattress. I've got to get over there right away!_

"Well?" Kikyo asked. "Can I go now?"

Thomas waved her inside. "Go ahead."

Kikyo practically jumped up and down from the overwhelming relief she felt flow through her. "Thank you! Thank you!"

Thomas smiled as he followed her inside. "One last thing, Kikyo."

The receptionist turned around. "Yes--?"

Thomas sank a small switchblade knife deep into her chest and twisted it hard to the right, ripping her lung to shreds and causing the other to rapidly fill with blood. A sickening gurgle came from somewhere inside her and the wound began to foam with blood as she desperately gasped for precious oxygen. Her large dark eyes filled with instant terror and Thomas smiled. "And just in case you aren't so good, tell the devil to save me a special spot at his right hand. I want a warm welcome when I get to hell."

As her lifeless body fell to the ground in a pool of dark crimson juices, Doctor Nikata just happened to be walking by. "You? What's going on in here!" he shouted as he ran into the lobby.

"Shut the hell up! Do you want one of the other staff members to know I'm here!"

Nikata shook his head and stared down at Kikyo's body. "What happened?"

"Don't play stupid you bloody quack. You're the one that told me she knew more than she should. What'd you expect me to do?"

Nikata dropped his clipboard. "What have you done! I only agreed to work with you if no one got hurt. Kikyo was harmless!"

Tom laughed. "Take a look around, moron. Kasumi was hurt, Ayane was hurt, and now this woman has been hurt. I appreciate your information and the fact that you agreed to talk to me alone and not to Smith. But the information you have fed to me is all but useless. Everything you know, I already know. You're no longer helping me and I'm afraid I'll have to cut you loose."

"Don't kill me!"

Thomas laughed and shook his head. "This place is already shorthanded as it is, and you might be able to do _something_ right in the future, so I'll spare you for now. Don't make me regret this decision, Mitsuo."

"Sure."

Tom gave a slight nod and left, dropping the bloody knife on the ground and pocketing the gloves he had been wearing. "Get rid of this mess, doctor. I'm going to go get something to eat."

Nikata sighed and began to carry the receptionist down to the incinerator. Things were getting out of control.

_

* * *

Saturday, January 6_

_2:46 P.M._

_Myamoto's Apartment_

After almost two exhausting hours of hiking through the congested streets of downtown Okashima, Myamoto's building finally graced the sight of the two physically spent Shinobi sisters, and not a moment too soon. Kasumi thought she could make the four mile trip without a hitch, since she figured that her hip had been fully healed. But by the time she completed the trip, her right leg would barely respond and she was limping badly, wincing with every step she took.

"Are you sure you're okay? You look like you're about to faint."

Kasumi took a deep breath. "It's... nothing," she panted. "I'm fine... really."

Ayane scoffed. "You look it."

Kasumi glanced at her sister, but didn't have the energy to say anything as she continued to hobble towards the front doors.

Myamoto ran ahead and opened the heavy metal door for her. "You know, all you need to do is ask and I can carry you the rest of the way. Or at least let you use me for support."

She shook her head and winced as she took another pained step forward. "I... need to build... up my strength. Thank you... for the offer."

Ayane, having had no severe injuries to her legs, walked about freely and painlessly. She smirked at Kasumi. "Don't be an idiot. You're pushing yourself too hard." She crossed her arms. "All you're doing is hurting yourself more."

Kasumi insisted to do it herself, despite the advice of Myamoto and Ayane, but as she stepped inside the door, her right foot caught on the lip in front of the door frame and she went down hard and hit the cold tile floor with full force.

She cried out as her body violently slammed into the ground and lay there groaning with tears in her eyes, holding her right hip tightly as if to suppress the piercing pain.

"Are you okay!"

Kasumi nodded and stifled a whimper as she tried to push up off the floor with her arms. Myamoto reached down to help her to her feet, but she brushed his hands away. "No! Please... I have to... do this alone."

"Why?"

If she couldn't manage her pain and get along on her own, she would be toast when the next group of assassins came for her. Kasumi had always been able to survive on her own and she had to continue to be independent of other people's help. This was a test for her, and her life depended on how well she passed.

"Well?" Myamoto prompted.

"Personal reasons. Please understand."

Ayane stared down at her fallen sister with growing irritation. "Knock it off. You aren't proving anything to us. We know that you aren't going to make it any further on your own, so just give it a rest."

Kasumi wiped her watering eyes on the sleeve of her shirt and used the door frame for support as she sluggishly climbed to her feet, her face set with determination. "You're wrong, Ayane. I _have_ to do this."

Myamoto threw his arms into the air in defeat. "I give up. My place is on the fourth floor. If you change your mind, let me know."

"The fourth floor?" Kasumi moaned. "Oh, man..."

Ten long minutes later, Kasumi was crawling up the last fight of stairs, gasping and struggling. Ayane had left her long ago and headed up to the apartment alone. Myamoto, however, stuck around to make sure she didn't get hurt any worse by falling down the stairs and to provide some encouragement. After all, he wouldn't be keeping his promise to Jack if she got hurt and since she wouldn't accept his help, the best he could do was keep an eye on her.

"Almost there. One more step, Kasumi."

'_I can't do it!'_ she screamed in her head. '_It hurts too much!'_

"C'mon, you can make it. You've come this far."

She grabbed the metal hand rail and hauled herself over the final step only to find that his apartment was pretty far down the hall. She was beginning to feel lightheaded but she had to do this. Beads of sweat dotted her forehead as she strained to climb to her feet, but she made it. Barely.

By the time she reached his apartment door, Ayane was busy trying to clear off the couch for her to lie on. "You can rest over here on this couch."

Kasumi was touched by this simple act and couldn't wait to plop down on the old couch. "Oh, thank you, Ayane!"

"What? You think I cleaned this thing off for you? I was going to rest here, but then I saw how sleazy it was. I'd rather stand."

Kasumi could see she was lying, but didn't say anything. She just smiled and slowly lay on her back, trying not to give away the fact that she was hurting. But even through her efforts, Myamoto could easily see that she was suffering.

"Serves you right," Ayane said. "We tried to help you, so don't come crying to us when you can't move in the morning."

Myamoto smiled inwardly as he heard Ayane's statement. She had used the words 'we' and 'us' without even realizing it, and it was easy to see that she didn't mind being with them, contrary to what she said earlier.

"I did it though," Kasumi whispered with a smile. "I made it all on my own!"

"Barely," her sister muttered. "You always were stubborn like this."

Myamoto walked off towards his kitchen, kicking three or four grease covered pizza boxes aside as he passed them and came back with a bag of ice and a cold refreshing glass of water.

Kasumi eagerly reached for the water and consumed it quickly, feeling better instantly. The she gladly took the ice bag and placed it on her now swollen hip, thanks to her little tumble downstairs.

"Myamoto, do you think Jack will get out soon? I miss him."

"I don't know, Kasumi," the hacker said as he switched on his computer. "Ayane, I know you're probably tired. There's an easy chair under those old boxes if you want to relax for a while."

Ayane muttered something under her breath as she went to work clearing off the chair.

Kasumi watched her feeling slightly guilty for taking the whole couch up by lying down, but it was too late to do anything now. _Should I apologize? No, that'll only make her angry. It's best to keep quiet for now._

Suddenly Myamoto started laughing. "I can't believe this!" he said staring at the bright computer monitor. "Dead or Alive 4 starts this February. That should be exciting!"

"Really?" Kasumi asked, surprised.

Myamoto nodded. "Yeah. It says that DOATEC is partnering up with an anonymous second corporation to host the fourth tournament. The article says, and I quote, 'the finalist of this year's competition will face the most challenging combatant in martial arts history to fight for the title of world champion.' Pretty amazing stuff. I didn't think that there could be anything worse than that freak that DOATEC set loose last year. When I read about that fight, I thought Zack was a goner for sure."

Ayane dropped the armful of trash she was holding and whirled around to face Myamoto, her eyes filled with flames of fury. "Freak! Master Genra was _not_ a freak!"

Kasumi took on an expression of alarm and motioned for her sister to calm down. "I'm sure he didn't know any better, Ayane. Besides, Omega was far from the man we once knew."

Myamoto froze, knowing completely what Ayane was and what she was trained to do, but trying to hide the fact that he had a clue. And in one respect, he actually didn't have a clue. _Who's Master Genra?_ "Hey...uh...take it easy. I don't know this Genra guy, but I didn't mean any disrespect. I'm sure he was a really cool guy before he got messed up."

Ayane shook her head and collapsed in the chair, ignoring everyone else present in the room. "What did I do to deserve getting stuck with you two?" she complained. "As much as the guy annoys me, I actually _want_ Jack to get out so I can ditch you guys and get down to business."

_

* * *

Saturday, January 6_

_3:02 P.M._

_Okashima Police Department_

Jack was sleeping soundly when he entered the room, silent like a shadow but deadly as a vicious predator. His target was a sitting duck in the cramped prison cell and when he was out of the way, things would be so much easier for everyone.

He turned to the guard. "Toss me the key. I want to get this over with."

The guard handed over the cell door key and nodded. "I'll be in the front office. Come get me when you're done so I can get rid of the body."

The assassin took the key and grunted in satisfaction. "There won't be much of a body left to clean after I'm done with him."

He waited until the officer left the area before approaching Jack's cell, making sure not to make a single sound as he drew closer. The man was dangerous and if he was awakened, this could get really ugly in an instant.

He slowly opened the heavy iron door and stepped inside, removing a gleaming 8" dagger from its leather sheath on his belt. Then he quietly walked up to the side of the cot and raised his arm high, the tip of the knife aimed squarely at the center of Jack's exposed chest. With a victorious smile on his face, the man thrust the blade downward like a shooting star racing towards the Earth below.

But then something totally unexpected happened. His target's left arm flew up from its resting position with almost precognitive reflexes and locked onto the assassin's wrist with bone snapping force. The hit man froze. "How--!"

Jack opened his perceptive brown eyes and smirked confidently as twisted the man's arm sharply to the side, making many delicate bones shatter like mere twigs inside his wrist. The elegant dagger clattered to the dirty concrete floor as the Organization thug howled in pain. But Jack wasn't done yet. Not giving the man any time to react, the ex-detective leaped off of the cot, instantly turned his back on his opponent, and swiftly brought the broken arm over his shoulder. Using the arm for leverage, Jack flung the hired killer over his head like a sack of potatoes and sent him hurdling down towards the hard floor below. But right before he made his landing, Jack quickly brought his foot up into the center of the man's chest with precise and brutal force, drop kick style. The kick was solid, violent, and easily broke two of his ribs.

The assassin was through. The force of Jack's toss had broken his elbow as well, and there was nothing else to do but stall and hope one of the others would come, but would they have time to get inside or would Jack realize what was going on?

Jack bent down and grabbed the goon's shirt collar, dragging him off the ground and slamming him up against the iron bars of the cell. "Did Smith send you?"

The assassin remained quiet.

"You know, you're pretty incompetent for a killer. Your boss must be a real penny pincher to hire such an amateur. Either that or you just suck and like to overprice yourself."

"Nice work, but you only won because I was caught off guard," the assassin hissed. "Next time--"

Jack laughed. "Next time? There won't be a next time, pal. You're done. But, if you tell me where Smith is hiding, I might just let you go."

The assassin responded by spitting at his target's face, but Jack whipped his head to the side to avoid the saliva. When he looked back to the man's face, he was shocked to find a large bullet hole in the center of his forehead, right where his head had been moments before.

"Bloody Yank! Hold still and let me kill you."

Jack whirled around and dived to the side just in time to avoid another bullet from Thomas' weapon. "You're that British guy that was in Smith's truck!"

As Tom lined up his gun for another shot, Jack reached for the fallen dagger. This was going to be a close fight, and only one of them was leaving the station in one piece.


	33. Chapter ThirtyTwo

**DISCLAIMER:** I DO NOT OWN ANY DEAD OR ALIVE CHARACTER. THOSE CHARACTERS BELONG TO TECMO, LTD. AND TEAM NINJA. I AM IN NO WAY INTENDING ANY COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT AND I'M NOT MAKING A PROFIT FROM THE USE OF THESE CHARACTERS. ANY CHARACTER NOT A PART OF DEAD OR ALIVE IS MINE AND MINE ALONE.

A/N: Sorry for making you guys wait so long and I hope there's still a bunch of you around to enjoy my latest chapter. I love to hear from you guys and I'm sorry I don't respond quickly cuz I know you deserve more. As always, thanks for sticking with me and I'll try harder to keep things up.

**Chapter Thirty-two**

_Saturday, January 6_

_3:05 P.M._

_Myamoto's Apartment_

Kasumi, with nothing to do and an increasingly sore hip, lay on the stained blue couch in Myamoto's dim living room with nothing but the soft sound of Ayane snoozing in the easy chair and the crisp noise of Myamoto typing on his keyboard as he continued to do research on DOA 4 occupying her thoughts.

Her alert honey colored eyes shifted about the darkened room, her vision hindered by the closed window blinds and the burnt out ceiling fan bulbs. The only illumination provided was the harsh computer monitor and a dirty old lamp on a peeling end table beside the couch. But she didn't need to see the place to be able to tell that it was completely trashed. The pile of molding pizza boxes next to Ayane's chair and the rank smell of rotting food was enough to make her sick. The permeating stench of the air was so thick she could taste it and she wondered just how Myamoto could stand to live this way.

Kasumi brushed her silky red hair away from her face and released a deep sigh, making sure to avoid breathing from her nose. "I'm bored. Don't you have something useful I could do?"

Myamoto stopped typing and turned the swivel chair to face her. "Hey, I thought you were sleeping. How's your leg?"

"Not so good," she muttered, adjusting the ice pack.

"Sorry to hear it."

"It's okay, I can live with it for now and I think it's feeling better than before. It's probably just that long walk and that spill I took downstairs that's bothering me and I don't think that will last too long. But I can't stand doing nothing when I know that there's something I could do to help. I know you must need help with _something_."

"I don't know..." the hacker said, returning his attention back to the computer. "Jack told me that it would be best if we just waited for you to heal completely before we did anything. He's really worried about you, you know."

"Yeah, I know, but I don't mind helping out. It will only make me stronger. Besides, what else is there for me to do?"

Myamoto turned around again. "You can rest. Even if Jack hadn't told me anything, I know what a person's limits are, and it's clear that you have reached yours. If you want to do something, go to sleep."

Kasumi made an irritated expression with her fiery amber eyes that bordered on aggression and it was then made clear to Myamoto that this girl didn't like being told what she could and couldn't do. "I can't sleep! I'm a big girl, Myamoto. I can take care of myself and I know my limits better than you ever could. Jack is out there and he needs our help. We can't let him down now!"

"Wow, Ayane was right. You really are stubborn aren't you? Looks like you and Jack were made for each other. But there's nothing we can do anyway, except wait for him to show up."

"Oh..." Kasumi muttered, clearly disappointed. "But he told me you were some kind of computer expert. Can't you mess with the police station or something?"

"It's not like I can just hit a button and bust him out. That stuff takes time and right now that's something we don't have. If anything happens, we might have to leave this place at a moments notice. We have to assume that Smith is still hunting for you and your sister."

Kasumi sat up slowly and inadvertently gasped with hurt as her hip flared with intense pain.

"Sit down!" Myamoto harshly commanded. "I don't want to have to take you back to the hospital because you refused to rest a minute. I'm telling you that you're hip will never heal if you don't take it easy! Remember what the doctor said?"

"You don't have to yell!" Kasumi exclaimed, stifling her misery and rapidly blinking her watering eyes. "I'm not going to go anywhere. All I wanted was something to eat."

"Oops," Myamoto said sheepishly. "Sorry, I guess I'm being a little overzealous in my promise, huh? There's some leftover pizza in the fridge if you're hungry. Help yourself."

Kasumi shot him a funny look and carefully climbed to her feet, wobbling unsteadily as she tried to maintain her balance.She prayed that she wouldn't fall again because if she took another dive like the one downstairs she didn't know how she would be able to hide the pain. Cautiously, she took a tiny step forward, then another and another without any significant trouble. But after a few more steps the strain became too much for her injury and her tender right leg practically gave out beneath her. Then, as if an invisible force had kicked her from behind, her knees quickly buckled and she was on her way to meet the hard floor below. She instinctively stretched her arms out in front of her and used them to absorb the abusive impact of the landing. However, the strain on her shoulders and elbows was surprisingly great and she couldn't contain the pained yelp that escaped her lips as both her arms failed and she crashed to the ground.

Myamoto caught the sharp outcry and turned around again only to find Kasumi lying on the floor in front the couch, face down and sobbing. "Are you okay?"

Kasumi took a brief moment to steady her voice, but failed in doing so. "No..." she whispered, shaking her head. "I can't do this... It's just too hard..."

Myamoto didn't know whether to say 'I told you so,' or to bend down and help her back onto the couch. Meanwhile, Kasumi's pain racked mind raced with thoughts of what she should do.

_'Maybe I should give in and ask for help.' _

_'No, I can't start depending on other people, no matter how tempting it is._'

_'If I don't ask for help, I'll end up breaking my leg, or worse, inflicting permanent damage!'_

_'But if I do ask, I will become weak and dependent. Hayate's assassins will have me for sure. I can't!'_

Fortunately for her, the choice was taken out of her control.

"Kasumi?" Ayane asked groggily, her voice thick with irritation. "Are you crying?"

"No," she sniffled, obviously lying through her teeth. "I'm okay."

She struggled to move her wounded leg, but grimaced and immediately froze as the limb was filled with a needle sharp pain that refused to subside. But even though it hurt beyond what she was used to dealing with, Kasumi put on a brave face and continued her fruitless struggle with no result other than inflicting more anguish.

Ayane, who was half asleep, momentarily forgot about her hostile facade and stood up, irritated with Kasumi's idiotic refusal to accept assistance. Then she bent down and grabbed her sister's waist, hauling her off of the ground and dumping her on the couch once again. Now that she was face up, Ayane could clearly see Kasumi's tear streaked face, and it pissed her off. "What were you thinking, moron! Do you _like_ to hurt?"

Kasumi wiped her face and brushed her long red bangs aside. "I just wanted something to eat, that's all," she sniffled. "I thought that maybe I could--"

"Don't pretend that you're as good as new, because it's obvious to everyone here that you aren't. Stop being an idiot and get some rest, Kasumi. I know you're smarter than this. If you make even the slightest move from this couch without asking one of us for help, I'll kick your ass! Got it!"

Kasumi responded with a surprised nod, not quite sure how to react to her sister's aggressive concern.

Ayane grunted in satisfaction and then turned on Myamoto. "And what the hell is _your_ problem? Are you too good to get my sister food when she's hungry? Is helping her out beneath you somehow!"

"Well... Uh..." Myamoto stammered. "She didn't want--"

"That's what she _wants_, but you should be smart enough to know what she _needs_. Jack wouldn't have taken no for an answer, and neither should you. If she has to move another inch all day because you're too damn lazy to get her something she needs, I'm going to kick _your_ ass! Now all of you shut the hell up so I can get some sleep!"

Myamoto stared at Ayane as if she had just smacked him upside the head with a club. Then he got up and walked to the fridge to get a pizza while Kasumi calmed her shaken nerves. There was no way that he was going to have a Shinobi ninja pissed at him so it would be best to just do what she wanted until Jack came back. Hopefully that would be sooner than later.

_

* * *

Saturday, January 6 _

_3:09 P.M._

_Somewhere in Chino_

Victoria Wallace toiled under the hood of her baby, a cherried out '69 Camaro SS, but her mind was far from the task at hand. She backed out from beneath the hood and walked over to her cell phone, staring blankly at it's dim screen. Ever since that bastard, Corso, showed up last week, she couldn't get the thoughts of her little brother out of her mind.

_'So he ran off to Japan, huh? I wonder where he got the cash to pull that off? And why did he feel the need to leave the States?'_

The only explanation she could come up with was that her little brother had followed her deadbeat dad's footsteps. And that path only led to one place; lying in a pine box buried six feet under. She had been right all along.

At that moment, a familiar figure stepped into the open garage and adjusted his hat, a confident smile on his face.

"I told you everything I know, dammit! Leave me alone, Corso. I won't hesitate to kill you if I have too."

"Now, Now, Victoria. Is that any way to treat a new friend?"

"You aren't my friend and you aren't welcome here. I thought we were through."

Corso laughed. "Ouch! That was cold. Well if you must know why I'm here it's to make sure a few loose ends get tied up and then I'll be out of your hair for good."

"Whatever."

"Do you know anything about a group of people called the Shinobi?"

"No," Victoria said, almost surprised by the question.

"What about that reference to CYPHER? Why do you think I'm with them?"

Corso had no idea what CYPHER was and why Victoria would think they were so bad, but he hoped this question would clear things up. Unfortunately he was wrong.

"Look, I answered your questions about my brother, but I don't see why you have to know all this crap. It has nothing to do with Jack and I'm not telling you shit. Now get the hell off my lawn before I get a few of my buddies to take you off!"

Corso adjusted his hat and smiled at her now familiar spunk. "Very well, Miss Wallace. It seems as though I've hit a dead end. You should be careful from now on though. Have a nice day."

"Wait! What do you mean 'I should be careful?'"

"Not everything is what it seems to be. I know this better than anyone and I'm just trying to pass on a useful bit of advice. Goodbye, Miss Wallace. I have other matters to attend to."

And with those cryptic words, Corso left Victoria alone with her car in the afternoon sun.

_

* * *

Saturday, January, 6 _

_3:25 P.M._

_Okashima Police Department_

The booming of the gun finally stopped and an eerie silence replaced it, filling the ghostly police station like a dense fog on a chilly autumn night. "What do you say we call it a draw?" Jack said wiping the blood from a stinging cut along his cheek.

"You just don't get it do you? You filthy Americans think everything must be resolved with peace. Well, it's not going to happen!"

Jack smirked. "Oh really? Because by my count you don't have any ammo left in that Glock. So unless you have a backup mag, you're screwed."

The sound of Tom's malicious laughter filled the air, and then the room once again echoed with the thunderous discharge of his weapon.

"Figures," Jack muttered as he readied the dagger, his palm slick with sweat against the grip. He remembered his old man teaching him a few tricks with an old hunting knife and now it looked like they'd come in handy.

He listened to the timing of Tom's wasted shots and then dived out into the open accordingly, throwing the dagger sharply by the blade. It zipped like lightning straight towards the Organization's second in command and pierced the hand wielding the gun as if it were hot butter. The bloody Glock clattered to the floor as Thomas held his hand. The man made no sound though, he just winced and yanked the blade from his hand.

"Ah, so that's how it felt when Smith stabbed that red headed bitch. Shark told me all about that first week when we were starting up the computers yesterday and how much Smith had enjoyed hearing her agonized screams. It was quite entertaining."

Jack instantly remembered the deep wound in Kasumi's right hand when he had found her in the woods. _He jammed a knife through her hand!_

Tom laughed at Jack's look of utter rage and easily tossed the dagger back towards his opponent. The plan had worked perfectly. That little distraction had blinded him with anger and distracted him from the fight. Jack Wallace was his to kill, and now there would be no stopping him.

The blade sailed straight towards Jack's chest as if it were an arrow, and it was far too late to react. However, it was obvious that this British man had no experience throwing knives, because the heavy silver handle is what pounded him in the ribs, not the deadly blade. Still, it hurt like hell and Jack fell to his knees, wheezing.

"You aren't so tough without your gun." Tom snickered as he slowly revealed a familiar Beretta strapped to his belt. _Jack's_ Beretta. "I think this will make a nice addition to my collection, Jack, courtesy of the evidence locker. Maybe I'll even use it to finish your cute little girlfriend after Smith is done gutting her."

His pain became nonexistent as those words rang in his ears. "You will _not_ lay a finger on Kaz! I'll make sure of that..."

Thomas shrugged. "We'll see, Jack."

The British assassin leveled the Glock down at Jack's head and pulled the trigger, but the American rolled swiftly to the side and jumped to his feet. However, he had to take a second to regain his balance, and Thomas was getting angry. So instead of keeping it cool, the Organization goon fired off another shot in Jack's general direction without even bothering to take aim. He was pleasantly surprised to hear the man howl in pain after the shot rang out, blood staining the left side of his navy blue shirt. The bullet had apparently cut into his skin pretty deeply, but since the shot was fired at just the right angle, it was deflected by one of his ribs.

Jack grabbed his side and stumbled backwards, enraged by Thomas and scared for Kasumi. He had to stay calm and think. Thomas lined up the gun for another shot and fired, this time hitting Jack right where his right lung should be. Jack flew backwards and landed on the ground, stunned by how things had turned out.

_

* * *

Saturday, January 6 _

_2:28 P.M._

_Organization Compound 32_

Shark smiled as he opened the mysterious CYPHER file and waited for the secrets of Smith to be revealed. Yet, he was surprised to find nothing of value. At least nothing substantial.

"What the--?" He muttered as the file popped up on screen.

There was nothing. Absolutely nothing but a progress report on what Shark already knew. After all, he had committed half of the things outlined in this report himself. But why would Smith, the head of the Organization, be making a progress report to someone else? This was definitely bigger than some gold mine. Something much bigger. He shut down the computer and grabbed his suit jacket. Maybe he should make a trip back to the hospital to see just what was going on with that Shinobi girl. And if she didn't want to talk about it, he knew that he could _force_ it out of her as long as Jack wasn't near. He didn't spend all those years in medical school to be wasted solely for the gain of others. He wanted a payoff and he wanted some answers, but most of all he just wanted out, no matter what the cost.

_

* * *

Saturday, January 6 _

_2:30 P.M._

_Okashima Police Department_

Thomas walked up to him and smiled. "Well, seeing as how you've only got a few minutes to live, I suppose I'll tell you exactly how I plan on killing her..."

Jack shook his head and tried to breathe, but couldn't. The pounding pain in his chest clouded his mind and all he could think about was one person. _'Kaz...'_

"I think I'll start off by taking my lighter and burning her hands and feet until she passes out. Then I'll wake her and..."

Jack was wondering why he wasn't bleeding all over the place and why he wasn't tasting blood. Maybe if Thomas wasn't too busy gloating, he might actually notice that Jack wasn't really dying.

Slowly, Jack reached up into his jacket pocket and smiled as he retrieved a heavy steel case which contained the thick deck of cards that had taken the bullet for him, thus saving his life; the same deck that he had used to play poker with Kasumi and the others last week. While Thomas was in mid-sentence and laughing, Jack used his leg to sweep his feet out from under him, then he jumped to his own feet once again and smashed his foot into Thomas' gut, making the man flinch in pain and gasp for air. When he was down, Jack sprang into the air and came down hard on Tom's vulnerable chest, knees first, cracking a few ribs with brutal force. As the English man struggled to free himself, Jack brought his left fist crashing down upon his face and followed it up with a powerful right hook. Tom's head snapped sideways and blood trickled from his nose.

"That's all you've got?" he smirked, slightly surprised to see the man still alive. "That barely stung, Jack. I have to say I'm more than a little disappointed."

"I'm just warming up."

Tom merely grunted and grabbed Jack's leather jacket, using all his strength to throw the enraged detective off his body and skidding across the floor.

But Jack rolled as he made contact with the tile surface and then quickly jumped to his feet, already prepared to throw a punch. But when he turned around to face Thomas, he found himself staring down the barrel of his own gun.

"Goodbye, Jack. I'll make sure to take good care of Kasumi for you."

Jack gritted his teeth and clenched his hands into fists. _'No, this isn't over yet. I won't die here in this slum!'_

Just as the trigger of the dark Beretta was squeezed, Jack reached into his pocket and, in an act of desperation, hurled his cell phone at Thomas's face, hoping it would buy him some time. The small silver phone made its impact just seconds before the shot rang out. Fortunately, the phone had thrown off Tom's aim and the bullet strayed from its intended path.

"Bloody hell!" Thomas cursed as he held his eye.

Jack grinned and took a step forward, grabbing Tom firmly with both hands on his shoulders. Then he used his knee and swiftly jabbed it into his gut until the British man dropped the Beretta. Then as Thomas stumbled backwards, Jack delivered a lightning fast left jab and followed it up with a powerful uppercut to the jaw. After that, he interlocked his fingers and made a huge fist club with both his hands and bashed it into the side of the European's head sending him crashing to the floor in a heap.

But even as Thomas was going down he reached for Jack's leg, grabbing it and pulling it forward causing the man to lose his footing. He took the precious few seconds that the maneuver had bought him to climb to his feet, but when he got up he was forced to instantly block the now predictable right hook that Jack was so comfortable using. Then, with Jack's arm in his hand, Thomas delivered a wicked mid range kick to Jack's wound, causing him to grab his sides and double over in pain.

Jack knew that he had no time to recover if he wanted to stay alive so he decided to rely on pure instinct and reflex instead of trying to plan out his attacks based on his opponents patterns. He needed something truly devastating so he waited for the man to strike again. He felt the incoming blow before he heard or saw it and simply reached out and blocked Thomas' leg with his forearm like it was nothing. Then Jack rushed forward in a crouched position and slammed his shoulder sharply into Tom's chest making the British man stumble backwards and start to fall. But instead of simply letting the man hit the ground, Jack reached out and grabbed his shirt with surprising strength and lifted him off of the ground with a single arm. Then he smashed his free fist into his opponents face again and again until Tom stopped struggling and became still. Then Jack hurled him to the ground and took a deep breath of air.

"You haven't... won... yet, Mr. Wallace."

Jack bent down to pick up his elegant weapon and grinned. "Save it for your boss, asshole. I should kill you now, but instead I will send you on your way with a message. Tell Smith that I've got an ace up my sleeve. And next time I see him, I'm going to have a full clip."

"You think he gives a damn about you and your empty words?"

Jack raised his eyebrows as Thomas cackled on the floor.

"No, Jack. He _wants_ you to come. He would like nothing more than to have you watch while he kills her. It would be quite a show, really."

"We'll see about that."

"You know she hasn't got a chance in the world. Knowing Smith and his habits, Kasumi's as good as dead. Or maybe he'll just sell her as a slave girl on the black market. I'm sure a girl like that would make a fine prize. I'd imagine we'd turn quite a profit on a piece of ass--Ugh!"

"Shut up!" Jack hissed, brutally kicking Tom in the ribs once again.

"You'll lose...eventually..." Tom wheezed as he glanced at his watch. "You don't...have a chance to save her...even if you do find--"

The detective noticed how his opponent checked the time and that worried him. "You got an important date or something?"

Tom snickered. "Why don't you ask your little Japanese skank about it?"

Jack had heard enough so he then pistol whipped Thomas across his face. "What the hell is that supposed to mean!"

Thomas simply spit out one of his teeth and cackled on the floor like a crazed maniac. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

"If you aren't going to talk, then you're useless. And useless things get thrown away so maybe I should just kill you." Jack paused and smiled darkly. Killing one of the men that caused Kasumi to suffer so badly seemed to be looking like a pretty good idea right about now. "That'd really make my day."

Thomas smiled knowing that in his condition it was only a matter of time before someone killed him anyway. But if he had to die, this would be how he wanted it to end. "Well, you better hurry up and get it over with before it's too late. I mean if you wait too long, you won't get back in time to watch Smith take that bitch and her sister. I hope Smith does sell her. I can only imagine what the slave market would do to her. She'd never recover from that shit. That delicate girl will fall to pieces when her master _rapes her over and over and-- "_

Jack's deep black pool of anger came flooding to the surface had again consumed the better side of his judgment like a raging wildfire as the thoughts of Kasumi being treated in such a defecating and torturous manner entered his mind. Jack squeezed the trigger once, then again, then again and again and again until Thomas Wilson was a bloody mess splattered on the police station floor and on his clothes. He was almost unrecognizable. After he was done, he went and got his stuff from the evidence room and walked back to where the man's body lay and sighed. He was glad Kasumi had not seen what he had just done, but he had no choice. If the mercenary had lived, then he would only cause more trouble for them down the road. Trouble that they couldn't afford.

There was no question that the British man was right and such a horrible thing would damage and annihilate her innocent nature and the mere thought of such a thing happening to his love drove him into doing something that just wasn't like him. And sadly, he now regretted his rash actions knowing that this time, he had committed murder. Or was it self defense? At this point he no longer cared and he knew that it didn't matter anyway because the entire police department was nothing more than a sham made by Smith. Jack then dragged the body outside to the back alley of the station, checking his pockets for anything that could be of use. But there was nothing but an old lighter, a worn business card from a local bar with a number scribbled on the back, and some cash. The man didn't even have any ID on him. He was like a ghost. Jack placed all the items found on Thomas into his jacket and stood up.

_'Who are you!'_

He shook his head and considered the man's statement concerning Smith carefully, knowing that Kasumi was especially vulnerable right now and if he played this the wrong way, she wasn't going to live to see her next birthday. If Smith really knew--

Without warning, the entire police station erupted into a superheated ball of flames, consuming everyone inside like a hungry monster of death.

"Holy shit!"

Jack bolted for the street but a secondary explosion then rocked the area, causing him to lose his footing and fall flat on his face. As he was trying to climb to his feet, a large piece of debris came flying out of nowhere and nailed him in the back of the head, again sending him crashing to the ground in a heap. Jack's vision blurred and he coughed loudly from the dust cloud that he had generated with is fall.

_'Sorry, Kasumi,_' he thought,_ 'I've let you down..._ _again..._'

All the colors of the brightly lit afternoon swirled together and melted into a dark abyss.

_

* * *

Saturday, January 6 _

_5:02 P.M._

_Myamoto's Apartment_

Ayane sat up and switched on the old television in front of her, wishing there was something useful to do. The sound of Kasumi's peaceful snoring made it almost impossible to read so she had to drown it out. Besides, Myamoto's selection of literature was weak and most of it was about technical crap that she couldn't understand even if she wanted to. As the dark screen slowly came to life, Ayane was rendered speechless at the sight of what she saw. The picture cleared slowly and came into focus just as the camera from a small news helicopter caught sight of the police station, or at least what was left of it, being consumed by flames and smoke. Debris was scattered all around the building and even into the city streets where all the traffic had been blocked off with orange cones.

_"...no survivors have been found yet. It looks as though one of the prisoners tried to escape with one of the officer's firearms, killing anyone who tried to stop him. After eliminating everyone else in the building and setting fire to the station, the suspect seems to have vanished. As far as we can tell, the killer was being detained for murdering a park ranger last month, but we have no details on the status of the suspect at this time..."_

Ayane froze as she muted the television. "This is bad...this is very bad..."

Myamoto walked into the room and saw her face. "What is it now? Is the coffee _still_ too strong? I dumped a whole bottle of cream in it. It's practically milk now."

Ayane remained silent, not sure of what to say. "I think Jack's... dead."

"_What!_" Myamoto yelled. "What the hell are you talking about!"

Kasumi started from her light nap at the sound of Myamoto's shocked voice and winced from the sudden movement. Unfortunately, her body was still very sore. "What's going on? Are we in trouble?"

"Yeah." Myamoto looked into her eyes, and she instantly knew something very bad had happened. "I think...um...How do I say this...?"

Ayane faced her sister. "Jack's gone," she said bluntly with a steady voice. "He died in the police station just now trying to escape. Sorry."

Kasumi shook her head in denial. "You're just trying to hurt me, Ayane. You just want to make me cry again. Well, it's not going to work this time."

"It's not like that! He's really dead. I just saw it myself."

The injured red head locked eyes with her sister and refused to see the truth behind Ayane's words, blinded by her own faith. "_Stop it!_ Why are you always so mean to me? What have I done to you!"

"Are you sure you saw this, Ayane?"

"See for yourself!" She growled angrily as she restored the television's volume, sitting back as both Kasumi and Myamoto just stared at the television. However, the story Ayane had just witnessed was now over and the reporters had moved on to a story about a severe car crash on the freeway that took place this morning.

This lack of proof caused Kasumi to feel something she had never felt towards anyone in a very long time, much less her only sister. It seemed like this was the straw that finally broke the camel's back and Kasumi just wasn't taking it anymore. Her heart raced at a million miles an hour and her palms became slick with a thin layer of sweat. She was utterly furious and her burning copper eyes reflected the emotion with unmistakable clarity. "How could you lie to me like that! After all we've been through together you _still_ want to make me hurt! Haven't I been through enough, or do you just want to see me dead like all the others!"

Ayane was rendered speechless. She had never actually managed to make Kasumi this angry and wasn't sure she liked it. But she could dish it right back. "Back off! I know what I saw and if you can't take losing someone, I suggest you stop trying to make friends because everyone you ever get close to will just end up sharing your gruesome fate! By loving Jack, you are actually condemning him! How many people are you willing to sacrifice before you wake up?"

Kasumi gasped and blinked her eyes rapidly to dissipate the building tears. She didn't realize it then, but she had unknowingly clenched her hands into tight fists. So tight that her elegant polished nails were beginning to make marks in her soft skin. "You don't know what it's like!" she yelled with tears in her eyes. "They're trying to kill me for protecting my family. They want me _dead_ because I was the only one that cared enough to take action! But the silence, the harsh environment, the utter loneliness of it all is just too much... _it's too much!"_

Myamoto was at first only interested in breaking up the fight to maintain peace, but now he wanted to know just where this was going so he stood back and made himself very inconspicuous.

Ayane again silenced the TV and got off the chair so she could stand up and look down at her broken sister, forgetting any concern she may have once held for her. "You need to wake up and smell the roses because you made a choice to leave and with that choice comes total isolation until your day has come. If you can't handle it then just give up now and let Hayate win."

"Jack's not dead!" she practically screamed. "I can't believe you, Ayane! Maybe you would understand how I felt if you had the capacity to feel compassion, but it looks like Master Genra _ruined_ you back when we were kids. What worthless lies did he feed you to make you hate me so much? Well I'm _glad_ he's dead because now you have some vague idea of what I feel like _every second I'm awake!_ I refuse to be forced into the idea that just because I left home that I have to spend the rest of my life in lonely misery. Just because you're all by yourself in the world with no one to care for you doesn't mean that I have to be alone too! "

As soon as the venomous words lift her lips, Kasumi gasped in shock and tightly clamped both of her hands over her mouth.

Ayane stared at her, saying nothing for quite some time. She was thrown into frigid silence at what Kasumi just said and didn't know quite how to respond. Finally she narrowed her eyes into hateful slits and glared down at her sister. "Back when I found out about Ayame and Raidou and everyone else cast me out, you were the one that told me that I would never be alone as long as you were around. That no matter what, _you_ would always be there for me. And you know what? I actually believed you," she whispered with an unsteady voice. "But I see now that I was wrong. I can't believe I was ever even worried about you, you filthylittle bitch! I don't need you or your stupid boyfriend! Screw all of you! I'm better off alone!" She yelled, now with hot tears streaking her face.

Kasumi was stunned to find out that she could even make Ayane feel pain, but she had tried anyway and surprisingly succeeded in her selfish mission. But now she was overcome with a feeling of guilt unlike anything she had ever experienced before and she never wanted to feel it again. This emotion was so strong that it washed away her fury like it were nothing more than soil on a river bed. Her heart pounded ferociously in her chest like it were going to explode in a matter of seconds and her stomach felt as if it were trying to swallow itself whole. "Ayane... I didn't mean... I don't..."

"Shut up! You've made yourself all too clear. I hope Smith does find you and I hope he makes you _suffer_ before you die! It's too bad I won't be around to enjoy the show. Looks like I'll just have to use my imagination until I find some pictures of your rotting corpse."

With those hate filled words Ayane wiped her face and ran out of the apartment door, her arms at her sides and her hands balled into fists of rage.

"I have no idea what's going on," Myamoto said, "but I'm going to find out."

Kasumi watched the hacker with blurred vision as he grabbed his jacket and ran out of the open door after the purple headed kunoichi.

"Wait!" Kasumi wailed. "Ayane come back! I didn't mean it! _I'm sorry!"_

But her pained voice echoed throughout the empty hall for no one to hear. Her heart throbbed with profound agony at what she had just done to the sister she treasured so much and Kasumi buried her face in her arms and sobbed. _'What have I done...?'_


	34. Chapter ThirtyThree

**DISCLAIMER:** I DO NOT OWN ANY DEAD OR ALIVE CHARACTER. THOSE CHARACTERS BELONG TO TECMO, LTD. AND TEAM NINJA. I AM IN NO WAY INTENDING ANY COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT AND I'M NOT MAKING A PROFIT FROM THE USE OF THESE CHARACTERS. ANY CHARACTER NOT A PART OF DEAD OR ALIVE IS MINE AND MINE ALONE.

**Author's Note:** Okay, I'm sorry for taking such a long time to post this, but school's really been keeping me busy. Sorry! I really do value every one of you guys that keeps on reading the story and I can't thank you enough for your support. And this goes for recent fans as well.Hope you guys enjoy this and please don't forget to review. Thanks!

**Chapter Thirty-three**

_Saturday, January 6_

_5:21 P.M._

_Charity Medical Complex_

Shark strolled into the busy hospital with only one goal on his calculating mind, and that was to speak with the girl named Kasumi and get some definite answers about just what exactly Smith was after in that secret village she called home and precisely what this CYPHER was. Was it a person of powerful influence? A clandestine organization of some sort? Or maybe it was a massive government database? The answers would come to him soon when he got his hands on that conniving little--

"May I help you, sir?"

Shark smiled brightly and straightened out his freshly bought suit and black tie. "I'm searching for someone and maybe you could help me. I heard she was in this hospital recovering from some kind of drastic injury. Her name was Kasumi. Do you know where I can find her?"

"Um...let's see... Kasumi... Ah, yes, here she is!" The receptionist said brightly. But then her smile faded which told Shark he was about to hear something he wasn't going to like. "I'm sorry but you just missed her, sir. She was discharged around noon. It's too bad you didn't get a chance to visit her. I just loved how she always managed to smile about something."

Shark rolled his eyes. "Yeah. I guess I'll go visit her at home then." He was trying to sound his best to make it sound like he was a friend of the girl, but he in fact had no clue where he was going to find her now. Unless… maybe she was back at Jack's apartment? It was worth a look but he would have to be careful in case the detective was with her.

Shark knew, however, that the two were probably inseparable and that it would be impossible to speak to one without the other nearby. By herself, the girl would be easy to pressure because Shark knew he could probably make her afraid. And if he could scare her enough, she might talk about what was so special in that village. It wasn't like he was asking where it was or anything, so she probably would say something useful if it meant sparing her another 'physical interrogation,' despite the fact that he was never intending to actually do her any more harm. Well, at least nothing serious.

But with Jack nearby, he wouldn't be able to twitch his little finger without being gunned down where he stood. It was obvious that the man loved Kasumi very much and so Shark decided that if he were around, he would need a plan to deceive the detective into leaving her side without exposing himself.

Shark groaned in his head as he exited the hospital. Stealth was _not_ his specialty and he had no clue how to fool a man like Jack. Or any man for that matter. And since the girl was a Shinobi ninja, that meant that she would be well aware of what he was doing long before Jack ever caught onto him. He had to smile as he thought of the young couple because one's strengths reinforced the other's weaknesses, making them a very formidable team when they were together.

_'I'll just have to wing it.'_

* * *

_Saturday, December 6_

_6:12 P.M._

_Streets of Okashima_

He awoke much later in the day, but he couldn't tell exactly what time it was or what had transpired since he had lost consciousness. Only that it was getting late in the afternoon and night had just fallen upon him. Slowly, Jack Wallace climbed to his feet, his body stiff, sore, and covered in dust and blood. What had happened? He remembered the narrow fight with the British man and then...nothing.

He dusted off his dirty leather jacket the best he could and turned around slowly, his mind racing with all the possibilities. The police station was wasted; obviously bombed to hell along with anyone inside that had managed to survive Smith's men. But who exactly set off the bomb? Smith wouldn't have done it because his own man was inside and Myamoto wouldn't have done it because he's not that good with explosives. Or any sort of weapon for that matter.

He walked over to a nearby rock and sat down. Would the Shinobi go so far as to bomb a police station? Jack didn't know much about either Hayate or Hayabusa, and Ayane seemed to be more of a puzzle now than any time he had ever known her. Kasumi would never resort to this kind of attack even if she was well enough to manage such a thing. Plus, from what he's learned from Myamoto, the Shinobi like to do things in the dark and this definitely wasn't a subtle assassination attempt. No, this was done by someone with a lot to lose and deep pockets. The Japanese government perhaps?

It was possible that the Japanese were willing to use this kind of firepower to flush Smith's poisonous organization out of their beloved country. The guy was like cancer and would definitely only make things worse until he was stopped. But it couldn't be the government because of the obvious waste in both time and resources just to take out a small time gang. Or at least what they probably considered 'small time.' Besides, these tactics were being employed by someone who had no perception of the value of human life. And having them take out their own police station seemed like an impossible conclusion.

So that left Jack to think about a few things. One, it was a pure coincidence and this bombing was just a punk street gang attack or something. Two, it was an accident of some sort. Maybe a propane line had ruptured, or there had been a natural gas leak somewhere in the building that had been sparked at random. Or three, he had _really_ pissed somebody off. Someone other than Smith. But who--

"Hey!"

_'Oh shit…'_

The fireman held and ax in his hands and he didn't look too happy to see Jack sitting on a piece of what had once been the roof or the building, covered in blood and ash. "What's your name?"

Jack glanced at the fireman and then off towards the darkened alleyways behind the rubble of the police station. It was probably better to make a break for it than stick around to answer questions, but if he ran he would look like the bomber and that was the last thing Kasumi needed right now. So he turned his head back towards the fireman and sighed.

"James," he muttered. "James Hutchins." Jack thought it best to use his father's name and his mother's maiden name seeing as how he was now wanted by the authorities. Well, he was if the police in this station had told anyone about him or bothered to draw up any paperwork on him, which he now doubted. After all, if Smith wanted to kill him, it would be best to make it look like he never existed so the cops wouldn't have to explain the hole in their prisoner manifest, right?

The fireman nodded and lowered the ax, slowly marching through the rubble towards where he was sitting on the rock. Jack made sure to keep his right hand close to the Beretta in case this fireman was yet another fake. After all, his father had always told him to trust no one, and that was a rule he had always kept, with one blatantly obvious exception.

"James, do you know what happened here tonight?"

Jack looked around, noticing that by now a few of the paramedics were beginning to head over to where he was as well. It seemed that he was drawing a crowd, and that was that last thing he wanted. "Uh, no. All I remember was visiting my friend and all of the sudden... boom."

"I see. Well after a brief examination by the medical team, you are free to go."

Jack was surprised to hear this. "Don't I need to give a statement? Or be taken to the hospital or something?"

"All the cops are dead or missing so a statement would be useless. However, I heard the government will be launching an investigation soon so you might not want to leave town because they _will_ want to talk to you. And about the hospital, if you are determined fit by the medic, then there is really no reason to waste tax money hauling you to the doctors. If you think you need to go to the hospital, you're welcome to do it on your own time."

Jack nodded and breathed a minor sigh of relief. "Gotcha. Well, we better get this over with. I actually need to be getting somewhere."

"Good. Izumi here will take care of you," the fireman gestured towards a nearby paramedic with short shoulder length hair that seemed to shimmer in the evening sunset. She had reddish brown eyes and wore a forced smile on her face, obviously not used to such a grand scale of death and destruction.

"Sure," Jack muttered with a shrug. The firemen sighed and slowly walked away, shaking his head and groaning about all the work that was to be done.

About an hour and a half later 'James' was walking down the darkened city streets in confusion while the remnants of the station continued to burn behind him. He hadn't expected to get off so easy, but the blood on his clothes could be explained by the wound to his ribs and now that that was fixed he was as good as new. Well, almost.

As he continued down the street, his thoughts returned to the attack and just what might have happened. If someone was out to get him, then they might want Kaz. But she was relatively unknown to anyone who might have a long time grudge against him. Plus, now she was almost well enough to fight on her own and could probably take out just about any plain attacker out there. It was the people who knew what they were doing that worried him. But there was really nothing to worry about there because the only person who really had any grudge against him and knew how to fight was--

_'Damn! It was that Russian son of a bitch, wasn't it?'_

It was then that Jack remembered the strange phone calls he had gotten last week. They had seemed to be prank calls, but what if they had been calls to trace his phone? The first time to verify his phone number, and the second to establish a trace on his signal. This was bad. And the real clincher was that Jack's phone had been destroyed in the station explosion, leaving him with no way to warn Kasumi or the others.

Jack had some extensive experience with phone taps and line traces back when he was a detective in Los Angeles, and he knew that mobile phones were easy to watch as long as they remained on and you could tap into the user's network. And Jack never turned his phone off all last week so by now Bayman probably knew his habits up to the point he got arrested Monday night. He probably knew where he lived and he probably knew where Myamoto lived as well.

Jack broke out into an all out run for his apartment. He knew that the others were waiting at Myamoto's, but he had something he wanted to check. He needed to be sure...

_

* * *

Saturday, January 6 _

_8:01 P.M._

_Myamoto's Apartment_

An unnerving silence filled the apartment in that absence of Myamoto and Ayane. Kasumi sat alone in the small dark apartment, her thoughts plaguing her and the guilt residing within them was unbelievably hard to swallow. Her previous argument with Ayane had left her heart a complete mess and when Myamoto ran out after her, she felt so powerless to change anything. It seemed that with only a single emotional out bust, she had brought to ruin almost everything she had strained to rebuild with her beloved sister since the beginning of this struggle.

'_I've been so stupid, Ayane. Forgive me... please...'_

Quietly, she got off of the old couch and slowly made her way to the apartment door, reaching for a large umbrella to use as a makeshift cane on her search for the others. Her dazzling red hair lay draped over her right shoulder and her sharp hazel eyes scoured the hallway for any sign of either Myamoto or Ayane but found nothing.

"Hello?" she said uncertainly, her soft voice pouring out into the empty passage. "Is anyone out there?"

There was no response, so Kasumi slowly decided to make her way down the hall until someone presented themselves. When she arrived at the flight of stairs she had so painstakingly climbed earlier, she heard something she did not expect to hear. It was crying, or at least she thought it was crying, but she couldn't be sure, since no one appeared to be around.

"Ayane? Is that you?"

The muffled sobs stopped and were replaced with a frozen silence.

Now that Kasumi's curiosity was piqued, she limped down the first flight of stairs until she reached the first landing and looked around, trying to find the source of the whining she had heard. And as soon as she located it, her head was whipped aside from a vicious slap that was so strong it made her nauseous. Kasumi froze, her mind clouded with the shock of the blow more than the actual pain. Then she calmly brushed her long silky red hair from in front of her eyes and slowly looked her sister in the eye with compassion and regret.

Ayane looked right back at her, tempted to yank the umbrella from Kasumi's arms and shove her down the stairs. She even went so far as to firmly grasp the base of the umbrella and slowly pull it towards her, making Kasumi stumble slightly as she was forced to shift the bulk of her weight back onto her own two legs. Ayane smiled darkly as her half sister gasped from the sudden pain, but still she never made a move or said a word. She just stared with her brilliant copper eyes, as if she couldn't find words strong enough to express her regret.

Beads of sweat now began to dot Kasumi's forehead as she strained to keep from falling. She tugged gently on the umbrella in hopes that it would somehow signal her sister to stop pulling, but it only made Ayane pull harder.

Kasumi let out a pained moan, her muscles burning. "Please... stop..."

Ayane no longer moved the umbrella, but she didn't let go either. She looked down at the floor for a split second, making Kasumi feel like maybe she was actually considering forgiving her rash actions, but instead got a disgusting surprise as Ayane snapped her head up once more and spat in Kasumi's face. Then she delivered a powerful kick to her sister in the stomach, sending her crashing into the wall opposite the stairs.

Kasumi yelped as she made contact with the cracked cinder blocks of the old building and slid to the floor, her guts screaming with anguish. But instead of simply taking it, Kasumi got up and looked over at Ayane, quickly wiping the saliva from her cheek. However, it wasn't anger that she felt now for those feelings had long since passed from her thoughts. No, this feeling was much closer to pity and remorse combined.

Ayane smiled and threw the umbrella like a dart straight at Kasumi's chest, hoping the sharp tip might impale her soft exterior, but Kasumi, being a well trained Shinobi ninja, reflexively reached out and grabbed the flying projectile out of the air seconds before it made contact with her skin. Then she put the umbrella on the floor and braced herself with it once more, a relieved look spreading across her face.

"Ayane, please don't be angry at me. I wasn't thinking and--"

"You _never_ think, do you? That always was your major flaw. That's what makes you so _useless_!"

Kasumi gently massaged her hip with her free hand so she might suppress the pain and took a careful step towards her sister. "I didn't mean those words I said. It was just--"

"I don't have time for your lies, Kasumi," Ayane muttered as she turned around and began walking down the stairs, "Don't try and follow me or I might just take you out myself and save Hayate the trouble."

Kasumi took a step forward reaching for her sister's arm and grasping it tightly in her hand. "Please, don't leave!" she cried. "It was an accident and I'm sorry! Just don't go….don't go…"

Just as Ayane shook herself free from her sister's grasp, a man came running up the stairs behind her. Myamoto stopped and paused to catch his breath before looking up to see Ayane facing him. "There you are! I've been running all over the building trying to find you. You sure are fast--hey! Kasumi, you shouldn't be walking around! Go back to the room and--"

The injured kunoichi had reached a limit and wasn't about to let everything crumble in front of her without an argument. "I_ refuse_ to sit around while the world falls apart around me! I'm sorry, Myamoto, but I can't allow you to exclude me from this."

Kasumi's voice wasn't exactly hostile, but it did have an edge to it. An edge that made Myamoto think twice about forcing her to return to the apartment. "Well, I guess you don't look so bad right now. Besides you do have my umbrella to help support yourself."

"Thank you."

Ayane rolled her eyes and again began her descent down the stairs, shoving past the hacker like he wasn't even there.

Kasumi took another limp forward. "_Wait, Ayane!_ Please, just listen--"

"I'm _done_ listening to you. Everything you ever told me was nothing more than a lie and I won't hear it anymore! I'm finished with you, Kasumi, and whatever friendship we may have had together is now completely dead. Don't talk to me again."

Myamoto grabbed her shoulder and held her firmly in place, or so he thought. "We need to stick together until Jack returns, okay? I know you two have your problems, but--"

Ayane did an amazingly fast spin, freeing her from Myamoto's grasp. "Jack's never coming back and neither am I."

"But--"

The true extent of the damage she had inflicted began to sink into Kasumi mind. "Let her go, Myamoto. I don't blame her and she is probably better off without me anyway."

Myamoto turned and glared at Kasumi as Ayane darted down the steps. "For once, I think we're in total agreement. I mean what the hell was that all about anyway?"

"It's a long story and I don't want to go into it right now. Let's go back to the apartment and wait for Jack. I only hope that she'll come back to us after she calms down a moment."

"I think if she does return, it'll be to tear out your throat. Why did you say those things to her?"

Kasumi shut her eyes and looked away from Myamoto, her bottom lip slightly trembling. "I don't know. I wish I had never even thought those things and I hate myself for throwing them in her face, but there isn't anything I can do about it now. I know you want an explanation, but I don't feel like diving into my past with you right now. So, please, just let it go."

The hacker shook his head as Kasumi wiped her eyes and began to hobble down the hall. "Well, I guess we should probably head back. If Jack's still around, he'll most likely head here first."

_

* * *

Saturday, January 6 _

_8:42 P.M._

_Jack's Apartment_

"Nothing..."

Shark sighed and looked around the tattered living room of Jack's apartment, disappointed to see that the injured girl was nowhere to be found. Of course this was to be expected, but he had thought that at least _someone_ was going to be here. But there was nothing; no clues for him to base his next move on and nothing that could tell him what Smith was after.

He rummaged through various cabinets and shelves before stopping at the kitchen table, where in the center a tattered file folder lay. It was neatly organized and tied up with a rubber band, the word 'sensitive' written on the front of it in bold red letters. Shark smiled and grabbed the file because it was obviously what he was looking for.

"This is too easy."

But as he fingered through the pages, he noticed something more valuable than he had realized. It was from Smith's databases, that was for sure, but for some reason some of it was jumbled up with nonsense. It was almost like it was encoded. But there were a few files with legible text and many pictures for him to look at. And when he realized just what the many pages were for, he had to smile. This was his ticket to the answers, he could feel it!

However, since there were so many pages, he would have to scan through it at a later time. If this file didn't give him what he wanted on CYPHER, surely it would point to where he could find something else. Maybe the probable location of the girl and the detective? He could only hope so.

Just as the Organization double agent decided to make his departure, the doorknob to the front door began to slowly turn clockwise...

Jack slowly opened the door to the darkened living room of the apartment with his Beretta in hand and his senses on high alert. For some reason the place seemed too damn quiet and something was off about the way the door was unlocked. He could've swore that he always locked the place up and he was positive that he had done so before going to the police last week. Something was wrong...

He stepped inside and leveled the pistol out in front of him, instantly ready to make a head shot if he needed to, but to his disappointment, no one was in the room. Jack slammed the door shut behind him and sighed. But it wasn't a relieved sigh, but more like a tired one. He was beginning to gain some perspective on the way Kasumi was forced to live since Smith made his appearance and he really didn't like it.

Jack kept the gun ready as he meticulously began checking all the rooms for intruders. As he passed the kitchen table, his sharp eye immediately spotted the missing file Myamoto had brought him, revealing one of Kaz's many well kept secrets. So it was most likely that the man who took it was in one of the rooms in the back of the small apartment; the bedroom or the bathroom. There had to be--

_CRASH!_

Jack whirled around towards the living room as a shadowy figure stumbled through the window from the fire escape platform where he had been hiding and rushed for the door, tripping on the gigantic fern along the way. He just barely caught the man's shadow as he fled through the door, but Jack had noticed immediately that whoever was running was clutching something under his arm; presumably the missing file. The former private eye darted from his apartment door with the gun still in hand and rushed after the intruder with blazing speed, shoving past various residents as he chased the man down.

"Freeze!"

The footsteps didn't slow, so Jack bolted for the stairs at the end of the hall and headed straight for the lobby of the building, barely catching sight of the intruder's back as he made his rapid descent.

"Freeze means _STOP!"_

By the time he got to the lobby three floors below, Jack was on the man's heels and was tempted to stop him by shooting out his kneecaps, but something held him back. Most likely it was Kasumi's soft voice whispering in his thoughts, guiding him to do the right thing. She was always his guiding light, even when she wasn't near, but it wasn't just her influence that held him back from attacking with everything. Something told him that this guy was someone he had met before. Something about the sandy blond hair and the way he ran was so familiar, yet so hard to place. Although, he knew in his gut that the man was none other than the one that had carved up Kasumi's delicate body as well as her innocent spirit nearly three weeks ago. _'I had no clue he was so stupid as to come back here looking for trouble! Well, I'll show him what happens when you piss off a Wallace!'_

When they set foot on level ground, Jack used his shoulder to check the man in the back like a hockey player, sending him sprawling across the floor and the sensitive information he was carrying flew everywhere. Then as Shark rolled onto his back to see exactly who had knocked him down, he got a brutal surprise as Jack kicked him in the ribs.

"Knock it off!" he choked.

Jack grinned coldly at Shark, tempted to pull out his deadly Beretta and finish the man off, but again held back feeling that there was more to this than met the eyes.

Shark began to frantically gather up Myamoto's files, but Jack took one step forward and grabbed the collar of his white cotton dress shirt, hauling him off the ground like an enraged animal. When he had the seasoned interrogator at eye level, Jack easily gave him a glare from his deep brown eyes that made Shark's cold blue ones look friendly. "You have three seconds to explain yourself before I show you the true meaning of torture."

"I, uh, was just--"

"One." Jack took the Beretta and aimed the barrel at his gut.

"Hey, hold on a sec--!"

"Two." He pulled back on the hammer and slowly applied pressure to the weapon as to muffle the shot when he pulled the trigger.

"Wait, you crazy son of a bitch! I can explain!"

Jack set him down and put away the gun, smiling with cold satisfaction. "Spill your guts before I do it for you."

Shark looked around uneasily and tried to think fast. "I found something in Smith's data bases. Something I decided to check up on, but--"

"I'm not interested in your bull unless it has anything to do with Kasumi. And you better pray that it does or you're dead where you stand."

Shark wasn't intimidated, but he could easily see that this man wasn't bluffing. It was a good thing that he didn't give a damn about his life or he might be scared right now. "CYPHER. That's all I know about what I'm looking for. I don't know if it's a man, a place, an agency, or a databank of some sort. All I know is that whoever knows what this means is pulling the strings in this whole mess, and we are all just puppets in their twisted game."

"So why come to me with this? I don't know what it means, and even if I did, I'd _never_ lower myself to the level of helping _you_."

"Fair enough, Jack, but what about the girl? It's this CYPHER that's putting her in danger, not me. Would you refuse to help _her_?"

Jack grit his teeth and angrily shoved Shark into the wall behind him, his forearm squeezing his throat against the wall. "Don't you _dare_ bring her into this! The only reason you're here is because you're desperate and I bet I can figure out what your plan was."

"Oh yeah, smart guy? What was I going to do then?"

"I know your type and I know that you're nothing but a coward. And being a coward, you'd take the easy route and try to get some answers out of a source where you think you can get results. And I know that you're too yellow to think that you could scare me, but what about a sweet young woman that you managed to crush not too long ago? She'd be easy to scare some answers out of, am I right!"

Shark hid his expression with the skill only a criminal could have. "I don't know what you're talking about, Jack. She wouldn't know any more about this CYPHER than I do so why bother trying to beat it out of her? If there's one thing I know in my line of work, it's that you can't get someone to sing if they don't know what song you want to hear."

Shark, of course, was only telling a half truth because _had _intended to come here with the intent of scaring that girl once again. And even though he believed she knew nothing of CYPHER, which was the truth, he did believe that she knew exactly what Smith was looking for which might give him some clues about this mysterious word and what it meant.

Jack backed away, never letting the gun off of the man pinned before him. "Pick up the files and give them to me. Then me and you are gonna have a nice long drive."

_

* * *

Saturday, January 6 _

_9:02 P.M._

_Myamoto's Building_

Kasumi sat in a small collapsible chair at the small kitchen table opposite Myamoto with her legs crossed over one another and her head buried in her arms next to a carton of steaming fresh takeout, her silky red hair reflecting light from the small bulb overhead with stunning beauty. Myamoto had been kind enough to order a hot meal, but she was far too stressed about the recent turn events to eat anything. Maybe Ayane had been right. Maybe Jack was gone…

"Are you feeling okay? You haven't touched your food."

"I'm not hungry…" Kasumi mumbled. "I'm sorry for wasting your money."

Myamoto downed another mouthful of food and adjusted his wire framed glasses, knowing that the girl had to be hungry. All she had eaten all day was a few slices of old pizza. Something was up. "What's wrong now?"

She sighed, never bothering to lift her sweet innocent face from the table's surface. "Nothing."

"You know," Myamoto said, waving his chopsticks in the air, "for someone so stubborn, you sure are a crappy liar. It's your sister isn't it?"

Kasumi gave him no confirmation, but didn't deny his statement either. Finally, she nodded once, still refusing to raise her head to face him.

"I don't know why you care. If I had a sister that bitchy, I wouldn't lose any sleep over seeing her leave. And besides, after what you said, you should be relieved. Now that you have your true feelings out of the way, she--"

"_That's not how I feel about her!_" Kasumi shouted, snapping her head up and revealing her tearful eyes. "I cherish her and she needed me, but I let her down, just like I always have. I just… I lost my control. She's always so cruel and I didn't know what to do and so the words just flew out. But it wasn't true! None of it was really true!"

"Sure…." Myamoto said slowly. "…and pigs can fly. Listen, I'm not saying you're a bad person for saying what you did, but when stuff 'just flies out,' it's usually the truth."

Kasumi shook her head and again buried her head in her arms, trying not to get frustrated, not at Myamoto, but at herself. However, she wasn't doing a great job.

"Eat your food, Kasumi, and stop feeling so bad. If you truly didn't mean what you said, then Ayane will probably know it."

"Thank you, Myamoto, but you don't know her like I do." Kasumi took a deep breath and ignored the tempting aromas drifting out of the white carton as Myamoto pushed in front of her. "I'm really not that hungry. I think I'll go take a walk."

Myamoto watched her with piqued curiosity and exasperation as she got up from her chair and grabbed the long blue umbrella. "If I know what you're thinking, and I think you're being a very stupid, immature, irritating--"

"I must leave. Goodbye, Myamoto."

These words silenced Myamoto, not because of what she had said, but the way her soft voice had sounded when she had said it. She had managed to sound so hollow right then that he forgot all about his frustration and just stared at her, wondering if she were going to even come back after she walked out of that apartment door. "Kasumi… what are you doing?"

But she turned her back and slowly hobbled out of the apartment, quietly shutting the door behind her, never saying a word to Myamoto about her intents.

As she left, the hacker remembered his promise to Jack about keeping her safe until he came back, but this general chicken wasn't going to eat itself and this was the first real meal he had had all day. But his loyalties to his friends far outweighed his loyalty to his stomach.

"Damn it!" he shouted as he threw to chopsticks into the carton and grabbed his denim jacket. This girl was really starting to aggravate him and Myamoto was just now realizing that he may have bitten off more than he could chew when he agreed to protect her.

_

* * *

Saturday, January 6 _

_10:46 P.M._

_Refinery Ruins_

Jack slammed on the brakes to his Jeep, tossing Shark into the passenger's dashboard with irresistible force. "Well, I think this is as good a place as any to have our little discussion, don't you think?"

Shark looked around after peeling his face from the front of Jack's Jeep. "Where exactly are we? I've been all over this town and I've never noticed this place before."

"Not that you would care, but this is where Kasumi had been staying before your boss decided to stalk her. But the reason I came has nothing to do with her. It's that if things get ugly, no one will hear anything. Not even a gunshot can be heard out here."

"So you brought me here to die then?

Jack shook his head and turned off the Jeep. "You wish. No I have no intent of hurting you. All I want are some answers."

"What can I possibly tell you that you don't already know?" Shark spat.

"What Smith wanted from Kaz and her sister? I know that he wanted the location of their home, but I want to know why. And don't tell me you don't have any clue because I'm not in the market for bullshit right now."

Shark shook his head and chuckled. "You think if I knew that I'd be here right now?"

"Why are you here anyway? You know just as well as I do that Kaz is far too stubborn to help you. After all, she would never put her home at risk so that you could find a few answers about a stupid word. Hell, she wouldn't tell me anything even when she was scared of being attacked in her sleep. What makes you so special?"

"Because I can stop Smith. I helped her before and she probably knows that I would help her again."

Jack waited for him to elaborate, but he never did. "I've had enough of this. Get out."

Shark nodded once and then stepped out of the Jeep and into the cold winter night. Just as he was about to turn and walk back to town, Jack tossed him the file folder.

"Wha--?

"Let's be clear on one thing: I'm not doing this for you, Shark. I don't think you're telling the whole story, but I also don't think you know the whole story. If you find anything wait for me at my apartment. And if you do _anything_ to hurt Kaz or her sister, I assure you that you won't live long enough to regret it. Now get out of my sight."


	35. Chapter ThirtyFour

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANY DEAD OR ALIVE CHARACTER. THOSE CHARACTERS BELONG TO TECMO, LTD. AND TEAM NINJA. I AM IN NO WAY INTENDING ANY COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT AND I'M NOT MAKING A PROFIT FROM THE USE OF THESE CHARACTERS. ANY CHARACTER NOT A PART OF DEAD OR ALIVE IS MINE AND MINE ALONE.

Author's Note:_ Hey guys, I just wanted to tell you that I'm trying to post more frequently so expect another chapter sooner than last time. And a special thanks goes to Wolf for showing his support for every update that I've posted. Thanks a lot Wolf and I hope you like this next addition. And for everyone else: don't forget to R&R! Thanks!_

**Chapter Thirty-four**

_Sunday, January 7_

_6:30 A.M._

_Outer Road_

Hayabusa placed his deadly dragon blade back in its scabbard as the colorful lights of Okashima danced in his emerald green eyes. He quietly turned to the side and looked at his long time friend, who had also put away his sacred weapon. "You made sure they were safe before you left, didn't you? Those scrolls have the power--"

Hayate nodded. "Smith shall never have them. Besides, we'll be back long before he could ever cause trouble. We need to hurry, Ryu."

Hayabusa turned onto the crumbling outer road that wrapped itself around the city like a snake, still slightly concerned about the treasured item in the village that Ayane had hinted Smith was after. But he shook it from his busy mind and kept his focus on the cracked road before him. No one used it anymore and the city had forgotten about it long ago with the development of the freeway, which made it an ideal route for any of the Shinobi to come and go as they pleased, be it a trip for supplies or something much more important. And as an added bonus it lead right into the commercial district where Smith's warehouse was located. He only hoped that the man hadn't abandoned the place or caused any more trouble while he was gone.

About thirty minutes later, the two warriors set foot in the quiet commercial district. The large loading cranes sat dormant on the docks, as if they were slumbering monsters ready to awaken at the slightest sound. Old rusted metal containers creaked behind them and the gentle sound of ocean waves sloshing against the concrete dock supports filled their ears. But not a voice was heard which meant that they were most likely alone. Most likely, but not positively.

"Something isn't right here."

"I know, I feel it too. I think we should go find the others and come out here with full numbers."

Hayate looked at Ryu with irritation. "I will not have that blundering American fool getting in the way of our mission. We are here to finish Smith and bring Ayane home and that's it. You said back in the village that this was going to be solo operation, and I'm holding you to those words. Besides, if we bring him into this, he'll drag Kasumi into it as well, and I will not see him blindly hurt her again."

Hayabusa nodded. "Your words have some truth to them, my friend, but Jack has his uses. Last I heard he was being imprisoned by the city, so there isn't much point in looking for him. However, I have the feeling that we are facing more than just Smith out here and we'll need all the help we can get. Besides, I wasn't referring to Jack when I mentioned the others."

He really only wanted to find Ayane because he knew she could fight anything if you pissed her off enough. And though he hated to admit it, Kasumi had her uses as well. But the more he thought about the idea, the more he found himself disliking it because he knew that Kasumi was in no condition to fight at the moment and Ayane would be too stubborn to follow his directions, so even if he _had_ managed to get them together, they would be too busy bickering to actually be of any help. Hayate was right. They were better off alone.

* * *

Smith watched his surveillance equipment like a child watches his favorite television programming. "Ah, so they've finally come back to play, have they? Well let's see how they like my new toys." 

He smiled darkly and flipped open a small flat panel on the console in front of him, revealing many complex controls for some unknown killing machine. Possibly more than one.

He pressed a large green button in the far right corner of the console and laughed as one of the warehouse doors, warehouse twelve to be exact, opened up behind the unsuspecting intruders and two lumbering mech destroyers came stomping out. Each one of the massive killing machines was almost four times as big as one of the ninja warriors and equipped with two shoulder mounted chain guns and in their right arms, a flamethrower equipped with a nucleonic plasma core. But that was only the obvious weapons. The true strength of his new machines was all under the surface, as these two morons were about to learn…

* * *

Hayabusa noticed the movement from the dark depths of the abandoned warehouse almost as soon as the doors opened and rolled behind a stack of crates immediately, drawing his sword as he came up in a crouched position. He assumed Hayate had also taken precautions against the surprise attack, but wasn't sure where he was. 

He didn't have time to look because as soon as he moved his head, a blast of superheated fire shot out from one of the machine's 'arms' and almost completely melted the steel containers he was hiding behind, leaving him completely exposed to the metal behemoth before him. And as soon as it got a lock on his heat signature, which stood out sharply compared to the cold winter air around him, the massive robot started to spray the area before it with a shower of machine gun bullets.

Hayabusa had a split second to react, but a split second was all he needed as he rolled to the side and threw an explosive kunai into the mounting that held one of the weapons in place, blowing that gun apart and rocking the monster to the side from the force of the explosion. And as it was thrown off balance, Hayabusa jumped high into the air and slashed through the other gun's ammunition belt and hydraulic fluid lines in a single blow, cutting off it's supply of bullets and seizing up it's capability to move rendering the gun a useless dead weight.

But the machine was still very fast for it's size, something Hayabusa hadn't counted on. A nearly fatal mistake as it slammed one if it's solid titanium plated legs into his back, causing the super ninja to be hurled through the air and slam into the brick wall of warehouse twelve.

As he climbed to his feet, Hayabusa wasn't without a few surprises of his own and he began to chant an ancient spell of inner strength, all the while feeling his body temperature steadily rising. The air around him began to burn and as he finished the spell, and he thrust out his palms, sending a wave of intense flame at the monster. The blast inflicted no damage, but blinded the destroyer's heat sensors just as Hayabusa had planned.

Then he did a back flip and wall jumped off of the wall behind him, sailing over the machine and landing safely on the other side, out of the range of the flamethrower that had attacked him before. But there were other weapons inside the metal beast, as Hayabusa was soon going to see.

* * *

_Sunday, January 7_

_6:38 A.M._

_Okashima Square_

_"Ayane?" Kasumi shouted over the roaring of the waterfall behind her, sparkling drops of water dripping from her glossy hair. She scanned the murky surface of the water around her trying to find any sign that her dearest friend might be okay. Maybe it had been too early to teach her how to catch fish. Maybe this was too dangerous…_

_"Here!" Came an ecstatic voice from behind her. _

_Kasumi whirled around to see her best friend holding a fish in her hands, trying desperately to keep from dropping the writhing creature back into the water. The smile of sheer triumph Ayane wore on her face was unforgettable and it warmed Kasumi's heart that she could help put it there._

_The young red head smiled and laughed, jumping up and down with joy. "You did it! You caught one!"_

_Ayane laughed as well and then gave Kasumi a tight hug. "Thanks, Kasumi! Now we can go fishing together all the time, just like you and Hayate."_

_Kasumi nodded and laughed once again just as two of the villagers approached where they were standing. "We've been looking for you, Miss Kasumi."_

Dark clouds gathered in the early morning sky as a solitary figure sat on a peeling park bench in central Okashima, her hands in her lap holding a tattered blue umbrella with a scarred tip. She stood up slowly leaning on the umbrella as she did so, wiping a single tear from her cheek as the rain began to fall down around her.

People milled about the square of town, rushing to or from work or back to their homes, shouting curses as they got soaked with the cold water falling from the morning sky, but all Kasumi could think about was what to do next. Jack was missing and Ayane--

"Don't move!" an irritated voice called out from behind her.

_'Does he mean me?'_

Kasumi shook her head and ignored the angry voice from behind the wall of people surrounding her and began to walk away, dismissing it as an irritated father yelling at one of the many kids who were racing through the sheets of rain on their bicycles or a dissatisfied market customer who had gotten a bad product from one of the sly old street vendors.

Wanting to find her sister and set things straight, Kasumi decided that maybe it would be best if she went looking in the forest outside of town. The woods had always seemed to provide Ayane with a place to hide when she didn't want the world to see her, so that was her best option. But after only a single step the voice called out from the crowd once again, this time solid and confident as if his words would freeze in her tracks. "I said _don't move_!"

Kasumi stopped and swallowed hard, not wishing to fight and doubting that she even could manage such a feat in her current state Slowly she turned around to see where the voice had originated, but the crowd hid the man from view.

"Who are you? Please reveal yourself." Her soft voice showed no traces of fear, but more curiosity. A few random businessmen and women looked at her as they passed, briefly interested and then once more no longer caring about who the young women had addressed. Despite Kasumi's inquiry, the person in the crowd took no measures to reveal themselves.

After a few seconds of standing in the icy rain, Kasumi shrugged and once again made a move to walk away when out of the corner of her eye she saw a sudden movement behind her. It was sharp and aggressive and it left her with no other option than to retaliate before something bad happened.

She spun around as fast as she could, whipping the soaked umbrella up to shoulder level, wielding the device much like she would her kodaichi. Then she took a step forward and swung the umbrella in a downward diagonal angle, smacking the arm that had tried to grab her with a loud thud and causing the man to which it belonged to howl in pain.

However, Kasumi had managed to catch sight of him for only a split second before he managed to disappear into the people around him once again so she really could not make an accurate identification of her opponent, which was something she was used to as a runaway, but also something that had never ceased to get under her skin.

"Please, do not force me to fight you. I just want to be left alone!"

"I'm afraid," the voice muttered, "that isn't such a good idea, my dear. I only want to talk."

Kasumi spun around as the voice poured from behind her, almost crashing to the rain soaked concrete as her hip flared with pain. After letting out a short gasp, she steadied herself and again looked at the wall of people before her, still clutching the umbrella as if it were a weapon. "It doesn't seem that way to me."

Apparently the man had seen her near collapse and said something that surprised her. "You're hurt, aren't you? Are you all right, Miss Kasumi?"

The way the voice had addressed her caused her to take a step back. No one had addressed her that way since she was a child. But this man had an accent that gave him away as a man from the States, far from anyone that knew her when she was small. "Who are you?"

"That is not of your concern." There was a slight pause as a lightning bolt split the sky with it's brilliant white light. Then the voice returned in a much more solemn tone. "It seems that I have missed my opportunity to speak with you for now. Since you seem to be injured I advise that you run as fast as your legs can carry you. If you survive, we shall speak again."

"What are you talking about?" Kasumi said, her voice slightly trembling, not from fear, but rather the cold water drenching her body. There was no response as she again leaned in the umbrella to ease her pain. "Please, don't ignore me."

"I am sorry you chose not to run. Goodbye, Miss Kasumi."

* * *

_Sunday, January 7_

_6:41 A.M._

_Myamoto's Apartment_

Jack stumbled into the darkened apartment and shook off his soaked leather jacket, scanning the room for any sign of Kaz or Myamoto. Hell, even Ayane would be a welcome sight after this mess.

But there was no one. The couch was empty, not even a blanket and pillows were left to show that there had been someone sleeping there.

"Hey, I'm back guys. You can come out now. It's just me; Jack."

Silence was the only thing that greeted him from the depths of the darkened room.

"This isn't funny anymore, guys. Kaz? Are you there?"

Jack got out his Beretta. Had he been too late? Had that Russian mercenary gotten to them first? Or maybe they went out to breakfast?

Jack shook his head and allowed himself a slight grin. No, Myamoto didn't even know that six in the morning existed and both Kaz and her sister would be too worn out by their injuries to want to go anywhere without a car.

After checking to make sure that his friend's apartment was indeed empty, Jack walked over to Myamoto's phone and dialed his cell. It took about three rings before the man answered.

"Who is this? How did you get this number?"

Jack laughed. "It's only me, man. You don't know how good it is to hear your voice. I was beginning to think you guys were in trouble or something."

There was an uneasy laugh and a slight tinge of surprise in his friend's voice. "Oh, hey, Jack. Um, no there's no problem here."

"Great. So where are you guys?"

"I," he cleared his throat. "I mean _we _are out getting some breakfast."

"Why so early?" Jack knew by now that something wasn't right, but he decided to let this play out and see what was going on.

"Well, your Shinobi friends decided to wake me up because they were sick of stale leftovers. It was mostly Ayane's fault."

Jack smiled. "Uh-huh. Nice try. Care to tell me the truth now?"

Myamoto sighed. "I keep forgetting that you used to be a detective. Was I that obvious?"

"Enough stalling. Let me talk to Kasumi really quick. I have to warn her about something."

"I….can't. She's…uh…in the bathroom. Yeah. And you know how girls are so it might be a while."

"Okay, then let me talk to Ayane," Jack said with a grin, "Or is she also in the bathroom?"

"All right, Jack. You win, but you're going to wish you hadn't."

"Something tells me I'm not going to like what I'm about to hear. Where are the girls?"

"First, you have to tell me if the police station actually exploded or if it was all just a cruel joke."

Jack was taken by surprise. "What! How did you know about that?"

"Oh crap, she was actually telling the truth…."

"Myamoto, what aren't you telling me? Who was telling the truth?"

"Jack, it's a long story, but I'll try to make it fast. Ayane saw your little feat on the five o'clock news, and might I add that it was a little on the side of overkill, but I guess you had to do what--"

"You think _I_ blew up the police station? Hell, Myamoto, even _I'm_ not that crazy. But I'm not going to let you get sidetracked here. Tell me what happened."

"Just once, I'd like for someone _not_ to be stubborn. Here's the story, Jack…"

Then Myamoto explained everything from the point where the two girls started arguing about the news report up until Ayane stormed out of the apartment in a fit of anger, being sure to recall every little detail of what the two said to each other, including their slip about Kasumi's secret. Jack took a deep breath his mind racing with questions.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Rewind, Myamoto," he said, interrupting the story. "Aren't you supposed to be some kind of Shinobi expert? Is there some kind of internal war going on up there or something? You mentioned that Ayane said someone had been trying to kill Kaz for protecting her family. Are you sure you heard that?"

"Hey, I may know a lot of things, but when it comes down to specifics, it's all just best guess. It could mean anything but you'll just have to ask her yourself. It turns out that I'm not the expert you think I am, Jack. But now that you mention it, Ayane did say something like 'if you can't handle being alone, just let Hayate win.' It made no sense to me."

"Hayate? You mean her brother? That's odd…" Jack paused to think a moment before filing the information away in his memory. He wanted to hurry up and get back to why everyone was still gone "Anyway, you haven't told me where Kaz is. You said Ayane left, not her."

"Well, if you hadn't interrupted me--"

"Spit it out."

"Right. Well after I left looking for Ayane, it seems that Kasumi went out looking for her as well, using one of my umbrellas as a crutch. When I finally found Ayane she was standing in front of Kasumi, who was crying and holding onto her arm as if she were never going to see her again. Then we all argued for a minute before Ayane stormed off in a fit of rage. After that Kasumi and I went back home to eat something and try take a load off, but she wouldn't eat anything. Finally she just left. So I followed, trying to keep my promise. You need to tell her not to be so damn stubborn! Did you know she wouldn't even let us help her up the flight of stairs in my building?"

"You mean you let her climb all those stairs--! Never mind. I know how she can be when she feels she has to do something."

I've been searching all night but--"

"All night! How long has she been missing!"

Myamoto sighed. "Since ten or eleven o'clock last night. Sorry, Jack. But I'm not as good at this as you are."

"No, it looks like we're about the same at it. Tell me where I can find you and I'll help you search."

There was a slight pause. "I'm waiting at Nozome's Burger Hut, near the hospital."

"I'll be there in fifteen minutes."

* * *

_Sunday, January 7_

_6:45 A.M._

_Organization Compound 32_

The machine's sonic blast wasn't a violent attack, but more like the byproduct of something to come. Something very deadly. It drew back on two of its massive metal legs as one of it's thick titanium armor chest plates opened and revealed the large barrel of an electromagnetic pulse beam. Blinding violet energy crackled in the air around its receptor spikes as the machine took aim at the solitary figure of Ryu Hayabusa that stood before it, sucking more energy out of the air every second. But the ninja was not afraid, nor was he worried. Even so, all the man did was stand there, his sword raised and waiting.

Ten it came, a blast so powerful that it compacted four of the giant steel cargo containers behind him into nothing more than a piece of metal the size of a soda can, and the ninja in himself had vanished, presumably crushed into oblivion by the devastating weapon.

_Target eliminated…Confirming…Processing… _

Whatever had happened to his friend, Hayate had hardly taken notice because he was distracted with his own problems. He had long since taken out the machine guns with stunning longbow shots to the mountings and motor. But then the plasma powered flamethrower on the monster's forearm had incinerated his bow and nearly gotten him, if he hadn't reacted like he did. But now, the machine was doing something different.

But Hayate had an idea that whatever was about to happen probably wouldn't hurt him if he was on the machine itself so he did a high jump using on of the cargo crates to gain some height. As he landed on the smooth surface of the monster, he plunged his sword though a gap in the armor plating to anchor himself for what he knew was coming, severing a few of the wires that controlled its scanners and AI programming, unknowingly helping him even more.

But happened next was not what he expected at all. The machine stood perfectly still, it's red optical lens not even trying to find him. Maybe he had fooled it. Perhaps the device of destruction was completely oblivious to--

"Argh!"

The other machine, having eliminated Hayabusa had blasted a bolt of liquid fire at Hayate, which had missed hitting him dead on due to the way Hayabusa's flame attack had thrown off the accuracy of its sensors. But a jet of flame still got close enough to his forearm that it burned his skin, but it was not even a second degree burn so he swallowed the pain and his mistake, knowing that if both machines were attacking him Hayabusa had failed.

However, Hayabusa had not failed, as the cold winder winds carried on it drifting leaves; _green_ leaves. Hayate, seeing this almost instantly, ignored it and gave no signs to give away his friend's presence, knowing that it he said or did anything to signify he wasn't alone the surprise would be ruined.

Then suddenly a battle cry was heard as Hayabusa flew out of nowhere like a deadly falcon and came down onto the machine which Hayate was riding, his sword aimed at a gap between the armor on its body and the plating on it's leg. As he passed beside it, Ryu plunged the blade through a series of conduits and hoses, spraying all kinds of fluids everywhere as if it were blood.

The destroyer faltered as pressure dropped in its internal systems and then fell to the ground to its right as its hydraulic and coolant pumps failed. Both ninja's leapt from the surface as it clattered to the ground. But then an intense beam of fire again shot out from the remaining destroyer. However, it wasn't aimed at the two ninjas but at the ground where they were about to land, melting the asphalt into molten slag.

Thinking reactively to the situation, both men used their legs to kick each other away while in the air, landing only feet away from the red hot pond that surely would've done them in.

"I have an idea," Hayabusa said as he got to his feet and took cover behind warehouse twelve's south wall.

Hayate winced as he approached. "I don't see any obvious weaknesses, Ryu. All you managed to do was sever one of its legs. But the thing is still active. We need to _destroy_ them if we're going to get Smith."

Hayabusa nodded. "I know. Just trust me on this, Hayate, and follow my lead."

* * *

_Sunday, January 7_

_7:02 A.M._

_Okashima Square_

She scanned her surroundings with her bright copper eyes, knowing that something bad was about to happen, but unsure of just what it was. "Who are you?" she shouted above the din of the storm and the people around her, hoping the man was still around. But no one answered and--

"Got you!"

Out of nowhere a hand seized the back of her shirt and hurled her down to the ground, the attacker immediately trying to crush her beneath his boot as she landed. But Kasumi was surprised to find that she had healed quite a bit since her return from the hospital and she managed to roll out of the way just as the heavy boot smashed the sidewalk where her head had just been.

She jumped to her feet, still feeling some pain in her hip as she took her unsteady stance. "You!"

Bayman laughed at the sight of her surprise, but more so at her shaking hands. He had scared her all right, and he was only getting started. He popped his knuckles. "This time, you won't be getting out alive."

Kasumi shook her head. "Look around you. Do you really think all of these people will let you hurt me?"

"I don't care. What's left of the police are not powerful enough to touch me and if anyone causes too much trouble, I'll kill them just like I'm about to kill you."

"You don't have to do this, Bayman! I've done nothing to hurt anyone. We can resolve this without a fight." Her voice was trembling, but as soon as she noticed it, Kasumi got a grip on her nerves and shook it off. This time she had to take care of things on her own. "Please, just let me leave. I only want to find my sister."

"Now where's the fun in that? Don't worry, after a while, you'll get used to the pain. They all do."

With those dark words Bayman rushed the unsteady girl, ready to break every bone in her body before actually killing her. No one got away from him and when he was hired to do a job, he made sure it got done and stayed done. And maybe have a little fun in the process.

But Kasumi wasn't ready to die and adrenaline almost killed the last of the soreness in her leg as she jumped to the side and avoided Bayman's lunge, striking him in the back of the head with the umbrella as he passed. The blow was so hard that it bent the umbrella and brought the tank of a man to the ground with a single hit. As soon as he hit the rain soaked earth, Kasumi dropped the umbrella and leapt into the air and came down on the small of his back with both her feet in an attempt to pin him down, but all he did after shrugging of the pain was roll over, forcing her to jump off of him or fall down.

So Kasumi jumped right as he began to move, now realizing that her weight wasn't enough to hold him down. When he climbed to his feet, she wiped the water from her face and looked at him through the rain falling around them. "Why are you doing this? Please just--"

"Shut up! This isn't a negotiation!"

His harsh voice rang in her ears as she took a step back. "Please, don't force me to do this, Bayman. I don't want to hurt anyone."

The mercenary ignored her as he rushed forward in a seemingly thoughtless attack, but instead of throwing a punch, like Kasumi had expected, he threw the entire weight of his body into his right shoulder, smashing it into her with full strength and connecting with such great force that the girl actually came off of the ground. That's when Bayman threw his punches, hitting her three times before she even fell to the ground.

At first it appeared that she wasn't doing anything. Kasumi was just lying there, face down with her arms wrapped around her midsection in an attempt to contain the pain that was flaring in her guts. But as Bayman reached down to grab her neck so that he could break it, she flew off of the ground and hit him in the face with a back flip style kick. And as he stumbled backwards clutching his face in his hands and cursing at her, Kasumi leapt forward in in a rapid front flip, and hit the assassin in the face with both legs as she drew closer to him.

Bayman went down so hard that it cracked a piece of the sidewalk they were fighting on. But even thought the force was great, the man didn't even seem to be hurt, although it did look like she might be leaving her mark. As he climbed to his feet, she tried to jump over him, but when she landed behind him it seemed that her luck had given up on her. The adrenaline that had masked her pain so well was beginning to wear thin because as she turned to face him her hip screamed with pain, causing her knees to buckle from its intensity. This is when he grabbed her and--

"Leave that poor girl alone!"

Through her tears, Kasumi noticed that the crowd hadn't just been ignoring her struggle. Many of them had stopped to watch, some placing bets, some getting very angry, but most just curious.

But she took the distraction that the woman had made for her and slipped from Bayman's grasp, crouching in front of him and rushing past his body, striking him in the ribs with her elbow. He fell to his knees and then from there face first onto the ground. Learning from her past mistake, Kasumi did two back flips in an attempt to gain some distance, but the crowd had closed in around them more than she had hoped and ended up landing on top of a woman and crashing both of them to the ground.

"I'm so sorry!" Kasumi gasped. "Are you all right?"

But before she could answer, Bayman had approached, smiling darkly at the two of them. "Well, it seems you've made a friend. Care to introduce us?"

Kasumi stood up, immediately crying out as her hip again told her to quit in a very painful way. "Leave her alone! It's me you want."

Seeing an opportunity in Kasumi's compassion for innocents, Bayman yanked the woman out into the open and proceeded to walk towards her. "I recognize you from somewhere. Where have we met before?"

The girl stood up. "I don't know what you're talking about! Get away from me!"

Kasumi limped forward, now wishing she hadn't lost that umbrella. "Bayman! Stop!"

The girl slowly stood up and brushed her waist length raven black hair behind her, a soaked red ribbon coming into view as she did so. She looked very nervous and Kasumi couldn't blame her. She attempted to run faster, but all she did was stumble and nearly fall. She wasn't going to make it. That girl was going to die because of her…

"Yes, I think I know you now! You're that b--ugh!"

Kasumi looked around as Bayman fell to the ground wondering just who had thrown the rock that brought the Russian to his knees. But she only spotted one man in the crowd that stood out from among the rest. As he was looking straight at her with his dark hazel eyes, he tipped his strange hat to her and walked away an odd smile on his face.

Bayman groaned, and it seemed like the chunk of concrete had done a lot of damage and he wasn't getting back up anytime soon. Kasumi took this opportunity to search for her umbrella, knowing that now that the adrenaline was gone, she would need it to continue her search for Ayane. She glanced at the girl though, who seemed pretty shaken up by her near death experience.

"I'm sorry for bringing you into that. Are you ok?"

The woman nodded and helped Kasumi to her feet. "Don't worry about it. My name's Ami. Who are you?"

"Kasumi. Nice to meet you, Ami."


	36. Chapter ThirtyFive

**DISCLAIMER:** I DO NOT OWN ANY DEAD OR ALIVE CHARACTER. THOSE CHARACTERS BELONG TO TECMO, LTD. AND TEAM NINJA. I AM IN NO WAY INTENDING ANY COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT AND I'M NOT MAKING A PROFIT FROM THE USE OF THESE CHARACTERS. ANY CHARACTER NOT A PART OF DEAD OR ALIVE IS MINE AND MINE ALONE.

**_Author's Note: _**Hey, I'm sorry it took me so long to get this up, but I've been busy with shcool and plus I wanted to write a few chapters ahead before posting this one. Anyways, it was mentioned in an earlier review that I was making Kasumi look incompetent or weak, and I would like to point out a few things regarding that. I just want to say that I view Kasumi as one of the strongest characters of the game, even if she isn't physically as strong as some others. I have a very high respect for her as a fighter and a woman. Also, she is stillin the process of recoveringfrom seriousinjuries sustained earlier, so she won't be as resilient until later. Afterall, she is only human.

Anyways, just enjoy the story and know that I'm not making Kasumi weak and I don't view her as such. Oh, and thanks a ton for sticking with me guys! I can't wait to hear what you all think!

* * *

**Chapter Thirty-five**

_Sunday, January 7_

_6:53 A.M._

_Organization Compound 32_

Hayabusa nodded once. "Let's go."

Before Hayate could even nod back, the super ninja rushed out into the open, not towards the still active machine but towards the damaged one. He went and struggled to lift the robotic arm still possessing the active flamethrower. "Let it see you, Hayate!"

Hayate, trusting his friend completely, jumped out in front of the dying destroyer until it's red eye slowly locked onto him. But it's motor skills were gone so all it could do was send the order to fire to its arm, but it couldn't aim at all. That's where Hayabusa came in. He managed to somehow aim the plasma at the other machine, melting into it almost immediately. And just as he had planned the other machine, immediately prior to exploding, aimed it's own flamethrower at its disabled partner.

"Move!" Hayabusa shouted.

As Hayate disappeared into a swirling cloud of black feathers, Hayabusa vanished into his own cloud of leaves. Then the explosions started. The first one was, of course, the still active destroyer. It sent shrapnel flying with such force that it penetrated the walls of warehouse twelve and collapsed the building into a pile of rubble. The plasma core didn't explode, as was to be expected considering it's think titanium shielding, but it did crack, leaking gallons of superheated liquid into the ground, the rain making the air dense with steam. The other machine's explosion wasn't nearly as grand because of the loss of its flammable fluids due to Hayabusa's attack. However, it still created enough of an explosion on one side that it flipped the massive machine as if it were nothing more than a toy, taking out half of the upper part of Smith's warehouse and cracking the eastern wall of warehouse thirteen as well.

Not two minutes ago the docks were in pristine condition and the façade of commerce did well to mask the evil that festered below. But now, the place was bathed in the flames of destruction and rubble was scattered everywhere. However, the deed still wasn't done. Smith was still alive and his organization would continue to be a threat the to Shinobi people for the time being.

Hayate and Hayabusa reappeared on a hillside about twenty feet away from their prior location, staring down at the fires that raged below, the rain causing clouds of steam to rise with the smoke.

"He's still in there, you know. We aren't finished yet."

Hayate looked over at his friend and nodded. "Yes, I know. But there's not much we can do now. We've given away our presence and there's no telling what that madman has in the other warehouses." He paused to think about the village, the scrolls, and….his sisters. "But that's not going to stop me from finishing what I've started."

Hayabusa shook his head. "Sorry, my friend, but I don't think there's much we can do now. We've given up our advantage of surprise and we've clearly underestimated his capabilities. It is best to know exactly what you are fighting before you enter the arena."

"We cannot allow him to--"

"And we won't. We just need too think of a better plan."

Hayate crossed his arms, clearly disapproving of having to wait.

"We need the others, even if all they can do is provide a distraction."

Hayabusa's tone struck a thought in Hayate's mind that he wasn't quite willing to accept. "Wait a minute, Ryu. You sound as if you mean to use my sisters as bait. Tell me you're joking…"

Hayabusa looked at the Shinobi leader with unflinching eyes. "I'm afraid not. You said so yourself that you wanted to get rid of Jack after his usefulness had reached its end and Kasumi is a runaway. It is only a matter of time before she slips up and I cannot watch her all the time. If something were to happen, wouldn't you rather it be on her terms rather than yours? Besides, I doubt our friend will be defeated so easily."

Hayate shook his head. "No. It's true that Jack is now expendable, but not Kasumi."

"I know you asked me to look after her in the beginning because you were worried that she might not be able to adapt so quickly. But that was a long time ago, Hayate, and now she's had a chance to adjust. I'll keep my promise to you. She will not die while I still live, however she no longer needs me. She already has a guardian, even if he isn't Shinobi."

Hayate scoffed. "Jack? You mean to tell me that American idiot is more capable of protecting her than a well trained ninja?"

"Love is a stronger tie than you give it credit for. He loves her, I don't. That alone makes him that much more devoted to keeping her safe." Hayabusa relaxed a moment. "No, he's not a warrior. But even a small animal can become formidable when you corner it."

"I'm not going to argue with you about him," Hayate said sharply. "And what about Ayane? Don't tell me that you don't care if she dies. I know you better than that."

A very slight grin crossed Hayabusa's serious face like a shadow before vanishing once again. "No. Ayane is too stubborn to die. If there's a fight, she'll be with us, not them."

"I see…" Hayate gazed back down at the flames below. "I'm not agreeing with your plan, but it might be useful to regroup and see what the others have found. Maybe they've discovered a weakness we aren't aware of."

Hayabusa nodded. "I'll lead the way back to Jack's apartment."

* * *

_Sunday January 7_

_7:02 A.M._

_Nozome's Burger Hut_

"You're late, dude."

Jack walked over towards the small table where Myamoto was sitting and shook the rain from his leather jacket. "Shut up. It's early and pouring outside. I know I drive fast, but I'm not suicidal. Now, we need to think of a plan."

Myamoto took a bite out of a ham and egg bagel he had been holding and shook his head. "Dude, If there's one thing I know it's that when a Shinobi doesn't want to be found then we aren't going to have any luck in finding them. Then add the fact that she's incredibly persistent into the mix and--"

"Less talking, more thinking."

Myamoto nodded and swallowed his food. "Okay, well like I said on the phone I think she's looking for Ayane. Has Kasumi ever said anything to you that might suggest where to go?"

Jack shook his head. "Nope. But I have a pretty good feeling that Forest Park is where we need to start. It seems like everything always happens out there anyways."

"All right. Let's get moving then."

On the way back to the woods, Jack thought long and hard about Kasumi's brother, Hayate. It wasn't just him, but almost everything about Kaz seemed to be shrouded in a mystery thicker than any fog. And just when you discover one answer a thousand more seem to crop up in its place. Why didn't she live with her family in the village? What did Ayane mean when she had said 'let Hayate win?' And what about--

"Jack, is something bothering you?"

"It's nothing."

Myamoto shook his head and adjusted his wire framed glasses. "I'll tell you what's bothering me. It's all this Ayane-Kasumi business. When you told me to keep her safe until you got back, I assumed it would be easy. But you didn't warn me about her sister."

"I never told you to look after Ayane and I never said it was going to be easy. I figured that as soon as she got out of the hospital she would try to get as far away from Kaz as she could. Why the hell did you take her back to your place?"

Myamoto looked at Jack as if he had said something incredibly stupid. "Dude, she was in a friggin' wheelchair. Did you just want me to leave her at the hospital by herself?"

"Of course not! As much as I dislike her attitude, Ayane _is _our ally. But she wasn't hurt as bad as Kasumi. She could've easily left to go home without a problem. Her leg was fine."

"You know, it wasn't my idea anyways. That Hayabusa guy said that he was going to pay her brother a visit and she started whining about getting stuck with us." Myamoto paused. "But if she could've left, then why'd she stick around at all?"

Jack smiled as the answer slammed itself into his head. '_So maybe she does have a heart after all…"_

Myamoto saw his grin and knew Jack wasn't saying something. "What are you thinking?"

Jack shook his head. "Nothing important. The woods are coming up soon so we need to think of where to start. What time did you say Ayane left?"

"She bolted about an hour before Kasumi did. So if she made a beeline for the woods as you suspect then she could be in pretty deep by now. And knowing what I do about Shinobi tactics, she will stay pretty far from the gravel roads the rangers use, but still close enough to hear us. She won't be easily accessible.."

Jack grinned. "That's the beauty of a Jeep. I don't need roads."

"Whatever, dude. But I'm going to suggest that you take the road as far as you can though so we can catch up to her faster."

As he made his way down the muddy gravel road, Jack remembered that this was the exact same road that led towards Smith's old compound. The one that had something still inside. "Hey, do you remember our little trip with Shark and the ninja guys back to Smith's old base of operations?"

Myamoto nodded. "How could I forget? Getting locked in that place isn't exactly a sleep aid."

"I know we're supposed to be looking for Ayane and Kaz, but I just have this strange urge to go do some digging. We never did find that room you said you found on the map."

"Jack, are you crazy! There's still something down there! Hell, we don't even know what it is and you want to go back? What about Kasumi?"

"Like you said, Ayane's probably long gone, or at least too far gone to be found by a random search. But Kaz… she needs to be found," Jack paused and made an unsure expression with his dark eyes. "I still feel like there's something we need to find in there though. I've been curious about it ever since we left, but it's always been pushed aside by all the other crap that's been going on. Now we finally have a chance to dig up some more answers on the Organization. This could be our ticket to taking that bastard down."

"Why do I get the feeling that this won't be as easy as you're making it sound…"

* * *

_Sunday, January 7_

_7:05 A.M._

_Okashima Square_

Close to fifteen or twenty minutes had passed since Kasumi's fight with Bayman, and although all she wanted was to get moving and continue her search for Ayane, the crowd wouldn't leave her alone. It started with the nervous, but polite woman named Ami and then another guy came along asking if she was okay. After he arrived three teenage boys who had been watching the fight stopped by and persuaded her into telling more of the whole story. Kasumi obviously left out some of the more sensitive details, but still she made the story interesting and soon, she was surrounded with people asking her if she needed to be taken to the hospital or needed a ride home. Obviously, nobody asked about calling the cops in light of recent events. Finally, she decided that she had to leave, before Ayane got any farther ahead of her.

"Please," she said loudly, throwing her hands in the air. "I am grateful for everyone's concern and I thank you for making sure I'm okay, but I really have to be going."

The crowd made a collective protest as she climbed to her feet, apparently wanting to hear more of the story than Kasumi had supplied to them.

"C'mon, lady!" A small boy asked as he tugged on the back of her pink blouse. "Tell us more about the bad guy. Why'd he wanna beat you up?"

His mother promptly scolded him, but Kasumi turned around a smiled down at the young child. "Sometimes, people feel that they need to do something that isn't really right, even if it means hurting someone else. This man is one of those people," she knew he wanted a more detailed answer by the look on his face. "I'm sorry, but I really have to get going now."

Ami stood up as well, noticing that the red head wasn't feeling all that well. "Um, I've got a scooter if you need a ride somewhere. It's a two-seater."

Kasumi shook her head. "No thanks. I have something to take care of and I hate to interrupt your busy schedule on my behalf."

"It's not any trouble. I just got off work at the club about an hour ago and I was heading towards the outskirts anyway.

"Well, the problem is I don't exactly know where I need to be. Besides, I'd rather take care of this problem without involving anyone else."

Ami looked puzzled, but handed Kasumi the now bent umbrella and nodded. "Well, that's okay. I guess I'll see you around then."

Kasumi nodded and smiled. "Thanks."

So as she hobbled forward, the crowd parted for her. Most of them continued about their day as soon as they saw her leaving and a few lingered on to ask the people who actually saw the fight what had happened, but no one else asked anything of Kasumi. Most of them figured that it would be best if she got as far away as possible from the now unconscious Bayman that was still lying in the rain.

When Kasumi made it clear of the crowd, she looked around and noticed that the town square was truly a beautiful place. The gigantic stone fountain in the far corner of the park showered it's glistening water into the air, making the buildings and trees around it seem to come alive and the beautiful cobblestone paths around it looked as if they were sparkling in the morning rain.

She limped along until she came close to the edge of the square, deciding that she needed some rest before continuing any further or else she would surely make her injuries worse. Maybe Jack's apartment would be a good place to recover?

However, the mere thought of going there hurt her heart because she knew that there could be a possibility Ayane wasn't lying. What if the man she loved really was gone forever? Maybe now she truly _was_ alone…

'_Get a grip on yourself! Ayane has done much worse only to try to hurt me so what makes this any different?'_

But Kasumi knew that since Smith had tortured them, Ayane had been far less predictable than her usual self. She shook her head causing her long red bangs to fling water away from her eyes. She wiped the rain from her face on the soaked sleeve of her blouse and stumbled on. Even if Jack wasn't coming back, it would be nice to return to the only place where she ever felt welcome since she had left home. The one place where she had felt loved.

She turned around and blinked her eyes. "Ami?" she called out. "Um, I hate to ask this of you….but I changed my mind. I'd like a ride back to outskirts of town near Forest Park."

Ami, who had been walking away, stopped and looked at the girl who had addressed her. For some reason, she didn't feel so anxious around this one, even though strangers usually got under her skin. Especially since she had met Thomas.

However, this young woman seemed very honest in her actions. Naïve even. "Sure. Just let me go get it and we'll get you there in no time."

Kasumi smiled and opened her mouth to say something, but sneezed instead. "Excuse me. I'll wait over there by the fountain."

About thirty minutes later as they neared the edge of town, Kasumi was sitting on the back of Ami's small white scooter, blazing through the soaked streets of Okashima. She couldn't help it, but for some reason she felt the need to close her eyes as the buildings and cars rushed past them. Maybe it was the fact that there were no seat belts, even though the speed was relatively slow compared to Jack's large American vehicle. However, something else told her that it was what had happened in the square that was making her sick.

'_Oh, Ayane, please be careful…please come back safe…'_

"So where did you want me to drop you off?"

"Huh?" Kasumi muttered as she came out of her trance. "Oh, do you know where Kuromori is?"

Ami nodded. "I think so. Isn't that the street that runs by the old supermarket on the north end of town?"

"Uh-huh. There's an apartment building there near Fortune's Convenience Store. That's where I want to go."

"No problem. Give me about ten more minutes."

"_Ah-choo!"_

"Make that five."

"No!" Kasumi shouted, gripping onto Ami tighter. "This is fine. There's no need to speed up."

"All right, all right. Are you afraid or something?"

"No, it's just that the air is really cold and I don't have my sweater. That and going too fast in this weather seems a little dangerous on this thing."

Ami sighed and brushed her wet hair from in front of her face with one hand, easing off of the throttle with the other. "Fine, have it your way."

As promised, about ten minutes later, Kasumi and Ami arrived at the Okashima Heights apartment complex. The exhausted kunoichi got off of the small white vehicle and leaned on her umbrella, shivering from the cold. "Th-thanks for the r-r-ride…_Ah-choo!_"

"Are you going to be all right?"

Kasumi nodded and mustered up a smile. "Y-yeah, I'm f-f-ine. J-Just a little c-cold out here, th-that's all. Thanks again, Ami. S-s-sayonara."

"Sayonara."

As Ami drove away, Kasumi began her slow but persistent march towards Jack's building, which, fortunately for her, was one of the closest buildings to where Ami had dropped her off. It was odd seeing the large structure without any of the lights on, even if it was early in the morning. But his building remained shrouded in the dark, as if to spite Kasumi's vibrant optimism.

She walked inside the seemingly empty building and trudged over to the elevator, all of the sudden feeling utterly spent from the all night search she had conducted for her sister. She pressed the little round button once, then twice, then three times; but still the elevator did not respond. Then she saw the tattered piece of paper lying at her feet. '_Out of order. Please use stairs.'_

"Awww… _Achoo!_"

After climbing up the stairs and entering Jack's darkened apartment, Kasumi couldn't help but take a deep breath and plop down onto the soft brown couch as she entered. After dropping the umbrella on the floor by her feet, she pulled the thick black blanket that was draped over the back of the couch around her shivering body, soaking it with her still dripping red hair. When she had warmed up a bit, Kasumi pulled off her dirty shoes and socks and spread herself out over the surface of the couch, letting out a sigh of comfort when she got settled. Her eyelids slowly began to droop and soon she was fast asleep, not even bothering to change out of her water logged clothing.

* * *

_Sunday, January 7_

_7:51 A.M._

_Organization Compound 23_

Jack scanned the area carefully as he stepped out of his Jeep, his dark brown eyes sharp and alert. The primary entrance to the underground base was right in front of him, the large metal door wide open as if to welcome the two men inside. However, the scene was far from welcoming because both men knew that there was still something dark inside; something dangerous.

Jack retrieved his Beretta from beneath his leather jacket and looked at Myamoto. "There's no turning back now."

"Technically we can still get out of here so I'm just going to wait in the--"

"Stop whining and follow me."

Myamoto sighed. "Fine… but I still think this is a very bad idea."

"Noted."

Jack walked forward with both the Beretta and his small penlight raised before him, followed reluctantly by Myamoto. As they stepped inside the darkened hall, the sound of the rain falling outside formed an eerie echo. But there was another sound as well. It was almost like a growl, but so much more mechanical than any creature could sound.

"What was that!"

Jack shook his head. "I don't know," he whispered. "Do you remember where you said that storage room was?"

Myamoto thought a moment. "Yeah, I think it was branched off from the main control center. You remember how to get there, right?"

"Yeah."

After walking through the huge underground room with the abandoned equipment in it, the duo walked inside the secondary hallway that led down to Smith's old control center. Once they both arrived, Jack stopped a minute and washed all of the walls with his penlight, searching for anything they might've missed the first time.

"Wait! Jack come over here. I think I may have found something!"

"What?"

Myamoto laughed. "I was being such an idiot. It wasn't a doorway in the wall, it was a doorway in the floor!"

There was a pause as Myamoto bent down to examine the entrance he had found. It was a large silver panel with a mirror like finish and the words that had once been engraved on it's surface seemed to have been ground away with some kind of tool. Whatever was under there had to be either really important or really dangerous. Maybe both.

Jack walked over to him, lowering his gun and watching the door closely for any sign of what trapped them last time, which had probably been the origin of the sound they had heard. "Awesome work! But be careful; we don't know what's on the other side."

Myamoto heard the words ' be careful' but the sheer curiosity surging through his mind took over and he seized the handle within both hands and pulled as hard as he could, only budging it about a centimeter before having to let go. "It's too heavy for me to move. Maybe you could give it a shot?"

Jack nodded and shined his flashlight down on the handle when all of the sudden a rumbling could be heard from the stairwell that led down into the holding cells and broken power generator. Before even touching the door, he looked at Myamoto and returned the light to the stairs. "What the hell did you just do?"

Myamoto took a step back and raised his hands. "Hey, I said I tried to lift the door, but it didn't open all the way."

Jack shook his head. "It moved though, didn't it?"

"Well--"

The rumble became progressively louder and strong enough that it began to rattle some of the chairs and computers set up around them. Jack whirled around and leveled his Beretta at a computer monitor as an invisible force shattered the glass screen, making a loud electric crackle. Then another monitor to his right followed suit as well as a few of the light fixtures over head.

"I _knew_ this was a bad idea!"

Jack put the gun back in it's holster and took hold of the metal hatch handle. "Shut up and get down there! We don't have time to stand around and argue!"

The noise level was deafening and even though Jack was practically screaming, Myamoto could barely hear him, but as he bent down and forcefully yanked on the thick metal hatch, Myamoto got the picture. But even though Jack was much stronger than his hacker pal, the hatch would only barely move. However, the man was determined to get some answers for Kasumi. He was _not_ going to leave here without something that could help her understand why.

Myamoto glanced over at the stairs, except for the fact that there now was no stairs to be seen. Only a thick sheet of complete darkness bubbling towards them. "Jack, HURRY UP!"

Jack strained hard, and soon there was an opening about a foot and on half wide. "Grab the other side and help me lift this thing!"

Myamoto latched onto the door and pulled with Jack, still working hard to lift the hatch enough to climb through, but eventually it was there.

"You first!"

"But--" Myamoto argued.

"Do it! I'll be right behind you."

Myamoto hesitated a split second.

"GO!"

The hacker jumped and rushed inside the opening, rolling down a long dark ramp until he hit the bottom. "C'mon Jack!"

There was no response but the roar of the seemingly unfathomable object attacking them.

"Jack! Stop fooling around up there and get your ass down here!"

The amazingly thick hatch dropped with a heavy thud that rattled the dark tunnel all the way to the large room where Myamoto now sat. The noise above was instantly silenced from the insulation of the heavy hatch. Only one sound echoed through the darkness as a small object rolled down the smooth metal ramp towards him. Myamoto felt around for it for a few seconds before finding it.

"Oh shit…Jack!"

It was the American's penlight, and on it was a tendril of blood.

* * *

_Sunday, January 7_

_7:53 A.M._

_Jack's Apartment_

Hayate faced his longtime friend outside of Jack's building, a stern expression on his face. He had obviously not taken their failure at the docks well, but kept his mouth closed. It would do no good to focus on past disappointments, only learn from them.

Hayabusa walked around to the side of the building and away from the main entrance knowing that the window by the fire escape was almost always a good entry point. "This way," he said, gesturing upwards. "I broke the lock a few weeks ago, so the apartment is no longer secure."

Hayate nodded once and followed Ryu up the series of ladders and platforms that led to Jack's residence. Soon he was inside the dark apartment and looked around for any signs of occupation. But it seemed no one was there. The living room couch was empty, but there was a damp blanket on the floor that he assumed his sister had used at one time or another. The kitchen was empty as well and no lights could be seen from the back of the apartment--

"_Achoo!"_

Everyone froze at the sound. Then Ryu dived around the bar that split the kitchen area from the living room, easily tossing a kunai down the hall as he landed. He performed the feat all in one fluid movement, making sure to stay hidden by the shadows of the room.  
There was a sharp gasp a half second later, and as soon as Hayate heard it, he had his sword out and ready.  
But as he was about to approach, Ryu held up his hand and gestured that he would go in first and signal if it was important. Hayate nodded and decided to check the rest of the apartment carefully for hidden enemies.  
Hayabusa inched into the hall seeing nothing as he went further towards the back. But as he was about to turn around, a drop of liquid landed on the back of his hand.

It was blood.

"Hai!" Came a small voice from the ceiling and soon there was a burst of sakura blossoms raining all around him. It took a few seconds but he finally broke through the cloud to see a retreating figure run towards the kitchen. Well, it looked more like a limp than a run. He shook his head and followed her towards the end of the hall.

"Don't attack--!" he called out.  
But it was too late. Hayate lunged at the person darting out of the hall, not able to see who it was in the darkness of the apartment. He swung his katana downward at the foe's shoulder, but hit nothing. Just as he was about to turn around, he was hit from behind with a stunning kick, sending him into the back of the hall and his sword flying somewhere into the darkness.

He grunted and jumped up, pushing off of the wall with his feet and launching himself into the air above his foe. While he was hanging over the darkened silhouette, Hayate reached down and planted his hands on the shoulders and landed behind the intruder.

But to his surprise, his opponent did a lightning fast back flip and slammed both of her legs into his face. The attack caught him off guard and he ended up taking a serious fall. As he bounced upwards from the floor, the woman hit him four times with her fists in blazing succession and finished with two consecutive kicks which sent him rolling out of the hall and into the living room where Hayabusa was now standing with his arms crossed and slightly amused look in his eyes.

It was now obvious who he was fighting, but now Hayate was interested in just how capable she was in a fight where she thought her life was in true danger. He wanted to be sure Jack hadn't ruined her abilities completely, so he climbed up from the carpet and wiped the blood from his lips, staring into the darkened hall with a bit of curiosity. She wasn't coming out, so he would go back in.

As he rushed into the hall he did double kick in mid air to try and knock her out of his way. His first kick hit nothing, but his second one squarely caught her left shoulder as she spun away from him, clipping her and forcing her back into the wall next to the bedroom door. She yelped as her head slammed into the trim around the open door and Hayate could hear her body slowly slide down the wall and crumple onto the floor.

He shook his head sadly. '_Kasumi, you grow careless…'_

He thought it was over, so he went to go see if he had seriously hurt his sister, slightly concerned because of what she had been going through. But was 'pleasantly' surprised as she launched herself off of the ground and hit him with her legs. Then as he was in the air she crouched and came up fast, rotating her body 180 degrees and hitting him with both arms as she did so. But before he she could continue with her predictable punches, he took advantage of the narrow passageway and jumped off of the wall behind him trying to tackle her and force her down into Jack's room. However, when he came down on her, he hit nothing but air and flower petals.

Hayate grunted as he landed on the ground with a muffled thud, rolling with the dive and coming up near the foot of the bed. Instinctively, he kicked behind him and turned around, knowing well the tactics his sister had just tried to employ. His attacks, though, hit nothing, which slightly confused him.

He paused and stood still a moment in the thick blackness of the room, letting the almost perfect silence fill his ears. After only a few seconds he heard Kasumi panting for sweet oxygen to his right near a closet door. Hayate whirled around in a swarm of black raven feathers and threw a sharp punch out into the darkness, but only felt her soft hair brushing his arm as she whipped her head aside to avoid the blow. By the time he realized what was about to happen he was already in the middle of throwing another punch. However, just as Kasumi whipped her leg upwards in a high kick, Hayate ducked to the side and stepped behind her, avoiding her leg and grabbing her arm, twisting it behind her back.

She struggled for a minute and tried to break free, but he only started applying more pressure until she stopped and gasped from the pain. Hayate also stopped at this point, not wanting to break his sister's arm, but show her that he easily could. He was about to reveal himself when she stomped on his foot as hard as she could, sending a sharp pain shooting up his leg. When his grip loosened from the surprise, she did an extremely low 360 degree propeller kick knocking him to the floor and stunning him. As soon as he had landed she was already in the air and about to come down on his chest. Hayate reacted with split second reflexes and rolled aside, then kicked her the place just above her injured right hip, not really remembering that that spot was still extremely tender.

"Ahhhh!" She shouted, almost crying when the blow made impact. Her leg screamed with pain and she reluctantly stumbled for a step or two before collapsing to the plush carpet floor on her hands and knees.

Hayate sighed as she moaned and tried to get up. "I--"

"Please, leave me alone." She cried. "I don't want to fight anymore!"

Hayate took a step towards his struggling sister, but apparently it was too sudden a move because even through her pain she came to her feet and rushed at him, hitting him hard in the side with her elbow as she passed. It was such a hard blow that it knocked the wind out of him, so he couldn't say anything. As she turned around behind him, he could hear her agonized sobs and it bothered him that it was his fault. Yet it impressed him that she would even fight while experiencing such hurt.

He coughed a few times and faced her in the darkness, barely able to make out her figure against the low light filtering through the closed blinds near Jack's bed. She held her hip and was doubled over from the intensity of what his kick had done. He could hear her trying not to cry through clenched teeth and it was then that he knew this fight had gone on long enough.

He simply turned and left the room, but paused at the doorway. "Come," he said, his voice nothing but a scratchy whisper as he continued to recover his breath.

Kasumi stood there though, unwilling to follow him out of Jack's room for fear of getting hurt when she least expected. So when he waved her forward she shook her head and limped backwards towards the wall opposite the door.

Hayate shrugged and bent down to retrieve his weapon. "It's all right. I'm done fighting, Kasumi," he said as he put away the sword. "I don't know how you manage to survive with a pitiful display like that."

There was a gasp. "O-Oni-san!"

Hayabusa emerged from the hall where he had been listening ever since Hayate had charged back into the hall after her and flicked on the bedroom light. "What are you doing here alone, Kasumi?"

"_Achoo!_" Kasumi wiped her nose and inched over to Jack's bed, slowly sitting down to relieve some of the pressure being placed on her leg. "I was trying to get some rest so I could look for Ayane."

Hayate noticed how she has being careful not to let anything touch her left palm. "Let me see," he demanded, walking over to her side.

Kasumi reluctantly held out her open hand, a small cut from Hayabusa's kunai showing along its surface. "It's nothing."

Hayate shook his head. "It's not nothing. This cut is a sign that you are losing your focus! Just like during our fight."

Kasumi jerked her hand back. "No, it's a sign that you are too hasty with your attacks."

She sighed and looked away from her brother, grabbing one of Jack's pillows and hugging it tightly as she did so. "I'm sorry, Oni-san. Please, just let me sleep. I promise I won't interrupt whatever you two were planning."

Hayabusa shook his head. "Unfortunately, what we came here for involves everyone. Do you know where the others are?"  
Kasumi stayed quiet for a long time.

"Kasumi?"

"I didn't mean to chase everyone away… It was an accident…"

Hayate furrowed his eyebrows and sat down next to his sister. Her voice had changed all of the sudden, and the tone it had taken on was far from a happy one. "What are you talking about?"

"Ayane's gone…" she muttered. "I…. I said some bad things and now I don't know where she is."

Hayabusa made no expression. "And what about Jack and that computer expert?"

"Myamoto is in his apartment, I think." She paused and steadied her voice. "Jack… I don't know what's happened but I'm scared that he's gone too."

Hayate gave Hayabusa an 'I told you so,' look and then returned his steel gaze back to Kasumi, who was now staring intently at the floor. "What is that supposed to mean? Did Wallace leave you when things go too tough for him! Did he abandon--"

"No! He would never do that, Oni-san! Never!"

Hayate crossed his arms. "Well, what is it then?"

"I don't know. Ayane told me he had been killed…"

Hayabusa stood motionless. "This is an inconvenience. We could've used him to distract those destroyers."

Kasumi instantly perked up, a fire in her tear glazed eyes. "Inconvenient? Is that all his death is to you?"

Hayabusa focused his sharp eyes on her, piercing her soft soul with his gaze. "To be perfectly honest, the man was a distraction. Now you can finally resume your life and stop living in a fantasy--"  
"H-Hayabusa!"

"He's right. Jack wasn't doing you any favors, Kasumi."

Kasumi sat up and pushed the blanket away, no longer feeling tired. "But without him, I would be dead! Can't you see that? He saved my life… and Ayane's."

Hayate nodded. "Yes, and for that I am grateful. But what about the fact that you were captured at all? In my opinion it was the least he could do to bail you out of a mess that was his fault in the first place."

"His fault?" Kasumi made a mild glare. "Smith was _not_ Jack's fault, it was my own."

Hayate scoffed. "So you mean to tell me that his influence isn't what's lulled you into a sense of false security? A true Shinobi wouldn't have made such a careless mistake…"

Kasumi was just about to respond when Hayabusa stepped forward. "We didn't come here to argue about Jack. We came here to think of a plan."

Kasumi crossed her arms. "But--"

Hayate shook his head. "Ryu's right. This is ridiculous. We came here from the warehouse district, however--"

"The warehouse district?" Hundreds of memories came flooding into her mind of the time she spent there and the pain she had felt. "You defeated Smith?"

The way she had said it sounded more like a hopeful statement than a question.

Hayabusa grunted. "We failed. He is more resourceful than we anticipated and came here looking to find everyone and formulate a plan."

Kasumi brushed away her bangs and pretended to be interested in something at her feet, hiding her disappointment from them. "Oh… May I ask what happened?"

"It doesn't matter what happened. In fact, I think it was a mistake to come here at all. C'mon, Ryu, let's go see if we can--"

"No. That is not a wise course of action. Like it or not, we do need Kasumi for the moment."

Kasumi was a little hurt at the fact she was being referred to as if she wasn't even there. But she was more concerned how a man like Smith could defeat two trained warriors like Hayabusa and her brother. "Please, tell me what happened."

Hayabusa crossed his arms. "He is resourceful. More so than we anticipated or believed possible. You have made a very powerful enemy, Kasumi. Maybe even more powerful than Donovan."

Her eyes widened. "What are you talking about? What did he do!

"_He_ didn't do anything," Hayate muttered, "and that's what makes him dangerous. He didn't have to."

* * *

_Sunday, January 7_

_7:55 A.M._

_Organization Compound 23_

Jack climbed to his feet wiped the blood from his forehead, trying to see in the swirling darkness. The sounds launching themselves from the abyss were almost deafening and he couldn't tell where they were coming from. He retrieved his Beretta from it's holster and took a step towards the stairs, both angered and confused. That's where the sounds had first come from so it would be best to see what was down there.  
"Jack…" a voce echoed from the blackness.  
He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Kaz! What are you doing here?"

There was no response.

Something wasn't right about this mess. Even if Kasumi were lost looking for her sister, there was no way she would come to this place. The darkness had to be playing with his head. It had to be a machine with some kind on psychosis device. But still… it _was _convincing…

After taking his time feeling his way down the stairs, Jack raised his gun to the end of the hall and saw a small green light in the back. It focused on him for a second and increased in intensity before vanishing into the room that Kasumi had been tortured in. The door quickly slammed behind it and then a long pained scream pierced the air. It sounded eerily like the woman he loved, but Jack couldn't fall for the machine's tricks.  
He ran for the door and grabbed the heavy iron handle with his left hand, using his weight to jerk the door off of the wall. He wasn't surprised when it came loose since they had removed the pins in the hinges last time they were down here.

"Nowhere to run now, you little piece of crap!"

The machine faced him, surprisingly small in its size. It was black and shaped like a tall trash can with a concave lid. On the top of the lid was a small panel with a green light and a few smaller red ones. Aside from is single robotic arm, there was no sort of irregularity in its smooth form. Everything else must've been contained within--

"Jack! Over here!"

Out of reflex, he turned towards Kasumi voice. The Psychosis Mech darted forward towards him and knocked him down. Then when he was on the ground it fired a pulse of dark energy at him, sending him flying into the hall.

Jack groaned and reached for his pistol, recovering it quickly and aiming it at the machine's green light. But before he could fire, there was an image of Kasumi, projected in the machine's place, delaying him just enough the it got a chance to fire another beam at him.

But Jack had learned since last time and instantly rolled to the right when he heard the sound of the blast coming, narrowly missing it by millimeters. Using the momentum from the rapid roll, he kicked himself off of the ground and before even beginning his descent towards the ground, he whipped his body sideways to face the machine and brought his Beretta down on it with laser like accuracy. He fired not once, but twice, hitting the little light head on and making it flash and then explode into a shower of sparks. After firing the shots, Jack stabilized his spinning motion and landed on the ground in a crouched position, the still smoking pistol aimed at the machine.

"What a disappointment…"

But as he was about to stand up and walk away the little green light flickered on and the machine came to life once again.

You will not escape.

"So now the junk heap can talk too? You're just full of surprises, aren't you?"

You will not escape.

Jack laughed. "Not much of a personality though…"

The machine again aimed the arm at his chest and fired, but Jack already expected this and simply sidestepped the shot as if it were only a harmless spit of water. Then he put his gun away and grinned. "I hope that tin shell of yours is fireproof, pal."

Then he began to sprint for the generator room. If he was correct in his guess, there was going to be one hell of a fireworks show in a few seconds. However, the machine hesitated, and did not move to follow him as he had hoped. Oh well, it didn't matter because soon--

Fool.

Jack ignored the drone's pixilated voice and continued into the darkened generator room, confident that he had the fight won already. He felt around for the broken generator, wishing that he hadn't lost that little black penlight, but instead of finding the old power device, he found something much different.  
The true Psychosis Mech slammed him to the ground with a flick of it's massive plated arm and blasted the ceiling with an intense beam of pulsating purple energy so powerful and bright that it seemed like something that would be found at the heart of the sun.

Jack reacted with his instincts and rolled to the right just as the machine fired, coincidentally ending up underneath the very generator he had been scrambling to find. Chunks of concrete and rebar fell around him as the machine drilled a clean hole in the ceiling and into the larger room above. Then it simply climbed up and left him there.

"No you don't, you oversized trash can!"

Jack jumped up and clung onto one of the behemoth's legs as it climbed out of the darkness and into the some what brighter area in the large room. It was then that he realized just what he was messing with. This was not an ordinary oversized trash can.

The jet black monster shook him off and faced him with its solitary green eye as if curious why he was even alive. It had a total of three legs that were plated with at least a foot of some sort of super dense black metal and two monstrosities that could be called arms if it weren't for the twin ionic pulse beams at the end of each one. It also had something that looked like a energy sword at the end of some kind of rope like appendage that came out of the main body of the Mech. The actual body was plated with the black metal as well. It was almost dome shaped, but near the back there were two large fins that came out, probably for heat dispersion.

Jack grinned. "Finally, something worth fighting."


	37. Chapter ThirtySix

**DISCLAIMER:** I DO NOT OWN ANY DEAD OR ALIVE CHARACTER. THOSE CHARACTERS BELONG TO TECMO, LTD. AND TEAM NINJA. I AM IN NO WAY INTENDING ANY COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT AND I'M NOT MAKING A PROFIT FROM THE USE OF THESE CHARACTERS. ANY CHARACTER NOT A PART OF DEAD OR ALIVE IS MINE AND MINE ALONE.

**Chapter Thirty-six**

_Sunday, January 7_

_7:59 A.M._

_Organization Compound 23_

For what seemed like hours the two stood there; a lone man versus almost five tons of pure next generation weaponry. But there was no fear in Jack's eyes, only confidence and determination to win. An iron will to see this through to the end and get some answers for Kasumi ran through him, and nothing; not even a death machine, was going to stop him from succeeding. This time, he wasn't going to let her down.

Target acquired. Processing. Threat Assessment: Minimal.>

Jack grinned, his brown eyes clearly showing a sharpness unique to him. "Minimal? You're not trying to hurt my feelings are you?"

The machine rushed him blindingly fast and swept him into the air with its "arm." As he was flying backwards, Jack rotated his body and put his feet on the wall to absorb the impact, trying to imitate something he remembered Kaz doing. But instead of jumping away harmlessly, he fell towards the ground and landed face down in a pile of trash.

"Ugh… harder than it looks…"

He grunted and did a forwards summersault, coming up quickly and already running. He immediately whipped out his jet black 9mm with only the flair of shooting ace could have, twirling it twice around the base of his index finger then stopping it short by extending the rest of his fingers at just the right time. When he stopped, the barrel was in perfect alignment with the monster and he performed the maneuver all in one liquid motion. But when he squeezed the trigger, the two rounds did almost nothing. One bounced of the thick titanium armor and the other managed to take out a small red light next to the left ion beam, showering sparks onto the concrete floor beneath it. It was obvious that small arms fire wasn't going to cut it and he was going to have to be creative. Fortunately, he was usually resourceful enough to find a weakness…. eventually.

The green eye locked in on him closely and increased in brightness as its little counterpart had done before. Resistance is futile. Situation must be neutralized per code M6-41A. Organization protocol will not be neglected.>

"Define 'neutralized.'"

As if to respond, the mech whipped its crackling energy sword forward almost invisibly and pierced the wall where he had just been as if it were nothing but soft butter. "Oh, _that_ kind of neutralized. I suppose this means we can't be friends, huh?"

Jack dived to the left as the machine responded by shooting its stinger at him once again. He barely managed to duck underneath it as he continued darting along the eastern wall of the room, closely watching the ground and walls for anything he could use. But is was kind of hard to concentrate when you're constantly dodging certain death. However, after a while he noticed that the energy blade would stick in the wall for short period of time before dislodging itself. A delayed reaction.

Jack filed this away and again aimed the Beretta at the Mech, firing only a single shot at the area just above the electronic eye. And the shot, as he intended, missed the green orb by millimeters, but did shower it's display with sparks from the erupting circuits above it.

The sword, as he had hoped, missed him by about a foot and lodged itself into the wall once more. And as he anticipated it remained there for a few seconds, just enough time for him to seize the appendage it was attached to firmly in his left hand and fill it with bullets at point blank range, nearly cutting it in half.

There was a howl in his head as the machine shook a moment and the cord sparked wildly. He withdrew the gun and in less than a second replaced it within its holster. In one fluid movement raised his leg into the air and axe kicked the damaged cord, breaking it with little trouble. Even as the cord trembled on the ground, the man took both hands and put them around the small amount of cord still attached to the shimmering blade. Then he put his right foot on the wall next to it to brace himself as he ripped it loose from the wall.

"Ha! This is more like it!"

To test out his new toy, Jack rotated his torso and brought the glowing green blade down hard on a segment of the rope-like arm a few feet away from where he had managed to sever it and easily cut it in two like it was nothing but paper.

The blade though, was very unfamiliar to him and his usual style of fighting. It's feel was far from the warm familiarity of a gun in his hands, but this was the only thing he could use that would make an impact. And, if it weren't difficult enough to utilize, the thing was so huge that it took both hands to swing it properly, making it slow, but devastating. He would need to be smart if this were to work.

Jack rushed the machine, his actions charged with adrenaline and his mind racing. The eye seemed to be the sweet spot of the device, but--

You will not escape.>

Jack slowed down as it began to change. The green eye sunk deep into the machine's "head" and was covered by a thick protective steel plate. Then the three legs retracted as well and were replaced with a set of inset wheels, only leaving the two cannons exposed. Suddenly, the machine looked more like a giant tank than anything else and it brought it's guns to bear on his location.

"You've got to be kidding me…"

But this was no joke. The Mech charged it's weapons and let loose with a pulse so powerful that the waves of energy sent him flying into the wall, which actually spared him from the actual beam.

He shook it off and held the blade tightly with one arm, letting its tip rest on the ground behind him. Then he retrieved his gun from its holster once more with his free right hand and fired the remaining two shots in his magazine at the red light on the right cannon, easily taking it out in another shower of sparks. He had a feeling that it was significant to it's stabilizers, since the first time the guns fired there was no energy wave.

There was a crackle, but in the end nothing happened. But suddenly the weapons prepared for another shot and without warning, electrical arcs could be seen washing over the weapons' surface. Then there was a small eruption of flame from the tip of the cannon as glowing purple fluid began to leak from the barrels. They didn't fire. Instead a small bomb like explosion shattered each of the barrels like they were only plastic toys. Glowing violet flames licked the metal where the barrel once was, and on the ground, chunks of black armor lay in pools of superheated energy.

Y-Y-You must-t-t be d-d-destroyed!>

Jack put away the empty pistol and yanked the sizzling blade from the melted concrete it had been resting in. The severed rope-like appendage still flailed about as if the hinder him, but really there was nothing the Mech could do as Jack charged it. When he got to the machine he sliced open the thick steel plate covering the eye, and stared it straight on.

"Thanks for the workout. I needed to relive some stress."

Then jabbed the entire sword into the green orb and rolled back, coming up running for the door that led back down into the heart of the compound.

Error! Processing unit overheating… central core systems… destroy… destroy…

Just as Jack managed to roll inside the dark base, the black machine erupted into purple flames with a shattering explosion soon following. Pieces of debris and internal circuitry rained down on the walls of the compound along with the mysterious glowing liquid that had leaked out of the guns.

P-P-Protocol termin-in-inated.>

The dark clouds slowly dissolved and the roar began to fade as a blinding light flashed throughout the area. And then it was over.

Jack stood up when he knew it was safe, dusted off his jacket, and wiped the blood from the cut on his forehead once again. "Better go and see if I can find Myamoto…"

_

* * *

Sunday, January 7 _

_8:12 A.M._

_Jack's Apartment_

"Are you sure you're all right?"

Hayate brushed away Kasumi's hand. "The burn is only a symbol that greater effort was required. I'm fine."

"But where did he get such machines?" she asked softly, "I've never heard of anything so powerful."

Hayabusa leaned against a wall opposite the couch where Hayate and Kasumi were now sitting. "I have seen similar technologies before, but nowhere near here. It is interesting that such machines would exist in Okashima. I'm beginning to wonder just how much this Organization does…"

Kasumi sighed. "It doesn't make a difference to me as long as he's stopped. I won't allow Smith to reach the village… I won't allow him to get away with hurting my sister."

"It is no longer your concern. The village is my responsibility and Ayane can look after herself."

"Oni-san, I--"

Suddenly the door to the apartment opened and in walked a very unwelcome figure holding a file in one hand and a camera in the other.

Kasumi gasped instantly and recoiled. "You! What are you doing here?"

Both the men remained silent, but wary.

Shark however, remained calm. "You mean you didn't know? Of course, why would you… he probably hasn't even talked to you yet."

Kasumi calmed down a bit, but still looked slightly on edge. "Who?"

Shark rolled his eyes. "Jack, obviously. Who else?"

For the first time since Hayate had arrived, Kasumi smiled, even with her eyes giving her a stunning glow that he hadn't seen since they were kids. It was even more surprising considering their current company. "You mean… he's not dead?"

Shark shrugged. "I don't know if he is or not. It's not my job to keep up with him." These words seemed to dull her brilliance, but still, she looked better than before.

Hayate got off of the couch and approached the ex-interrogator, snatching the folder out of his hands and making a reach for the camera. "And--"

"Give those back! They aren't meant for you."

Shark held onto the camera, but Hayate managed to wrestle the folder from his grip only to see the same files that he had seen before. The ones on the Shinobi. "Where did you get these!"

Shark ignored the hiss in the man's voice. "It doesn't matter. Judging by your tone, you already have a pretty good idea anyway."

Hayate furrowed his brow and tore the folder in half, then tossed the remains onto the couch where he had been sitting. Facing Shark, the Shinobi leader formed a stern expression that couldn't' be ignored. "You shouldn't meddle in others' business. Especially mine."

Shark shrugged, unaffected by the implied threat. "I shouldn't do a lot of things."

Kasumi edged towards the far end of the couch when Shark sat down in Hayate's place, showing her discomfort clearly.

_

* * *

Sunday, January 7 _

_8:23 A.M._

_Organization Compound 32_

Smith paced his small control room, not quite sure if he had lost or won the battle that just took place. Million of dollars were just incinerated at his doorstep, but millions more were saved when the ninjas left.

And where was Thomas? He'd been missing for almost two days now and this sort of absence was nearly inexcusable. There was work to be done if their contract was to be filled. DOATEC was interested in some newer technologies and his employer was pushing him to finish up his work with the Shinobi and concentrate on the newest line of nucleonic weaponry. He had deadlines to meet.

He slammed his fist down onto an button nearby, activating a P.A. system throughout the compound. "I need Mr. Walters up here, ASAP! This isn't a drill."

"Walters is on break, sir."

Smith laughed, but it wasn't an amused one. "Break? Then remove him from his break and get his ass in here!"

"R-right away, sir."

Not even five minutes later, a lanky man walked into the room, his face slightly pale and his hands covered in engine oil. "Yeah?"

Smith glared at the mechanic and grunted. "Your so called death machines failed me today. Both of them. It makes me wonder just how secure Compound 23 is right now."

Walter's mouth went agape and the cigar he had been smoking fell to the tile floor. "Both of them? Th-that's impossible! The simulations _proved_ that it would take nothing short--"

"Silence! Failure will _not_ be tolerated!" Smith turned his back to the man and crossed his arms. "But I will give you one chance to redeem yourself… if you're interested."

Walters took a step forward, some color returning to his face. "Anything, sir."

Smith smiled. "I want you to make a machine for the sole purpose of killing one person at a time without being detected. An assassin, if you will. I'll leave the details up to you, but I want it done as soon--"

Walters sighed with relief. "I think I already have something that might work, although it's still in the prototype phase. It may take a few more hours to perfect the invisibility cloak, but other than that I think it's good to go."

Smith nodded. "Good."

Walters waited patiently as Smith walked over to a desk and retrieved a few photographs from his desk. Then he handed them to him and watched as he scanned each one.

"Who are these people?"

"It doesn't matter who they are, they just need to be killed. Make sure you make the girls' deaths as painful as you can. Make it creative."

"Mr. Smith, this machine isn't made to kill like that and honestly I find it--"

"Then make it kill like that! Those women have cost me more money and caused more trouble that any other enemy I have. I want to hear their screams from here, understand!"

Walters nodded quickly and began to back out of the room. "It should be done in by tomorrow. I'll call you down around six to look at it before sending it off."

"Before you go, here's the files on the two girls that were kept at the medical complex. You can probably find the American using this information as well. As for the other two, good luck."

After taking the files, Walters left the control room and headed down to the engineering level to work on his machine, leaving Smith to fume in his office at the constant failure surrounding the girl known as Kasumi.

_

* * *

Sunday, January 7 _

_9:00 A.M._

_Organization Compound 23_

Ayane had felt the explosion rather than heard it, and at first it had unnerved her. Who would be fighting way out here? And what would make the ground shake without making a noise? To figure out this mess and possibly prevent another headache for her half brother, she decided to go investigate this tremor before heading back to the village. After all, a little trouble might help her take out some of her rage on the local thugs.

Almost an hour after that explosion, she came upon a small building. It looked like it wasn't anything but a public restroom along the trail, but it only had one door and that door was wide open. Ayane sighed and shook the rainwater from her hair, annoyed at the cold water that was falling from the sky.

As she entered the building, she found out that it was much bigger than she had realized and after navigating the darkened halls for what seemed like forever, she came upon a large room. It was massive and right in the center of the room was a heap of burning wreckage lying in a pool of glowing purple liquid. It was obvious that this was the cause of the tremor she had felt, but what was it exactly? And where was this place? She had been all over these woods and had never seen anything like what she was gazing upon now. It seemed that the only answers she would find would lie further in the building's catacomb-like tunnels.

Jack examined the floor closely, trying to figure out a way to get inside the room where Myamoto had fallen. But the door was just too big to lift on his own and there was no one else in the building to help lift the hatch.

He cursed and stood up, reloading his Beretta and deciding that looking down in the lower hallway was the only place he would find another entrance to--

"You did that?"

Jack instinctively rolled behind a computer console for cover and whirled around to pointed gun at--

"Ayane? What are you doing here? And where's Kaz?

"I came here trying to find out what the giant explosion was, not that it's any of your business."

Jack got up and put away the Beretta. "And Kasumi? Have you seen her?"

Ayane stared at him with a bloodlust he hadn't seen before. "If I had, she would definitely be dead right now."

Jack glared at her. "Myamoto told me what happened in the apartment. From what I remember, Kaz may have said some things to piss you off, but--"

"But what, Jack? 'Forgive her. She didn't mean it and she loves you.' Is that what you were going to say?" Ayane narrowed her eyes as she said this and placed her hands on her hips, her voice thick and poisonous.

"Not quite."

This surprised her. "What?"

Jack sighed. "I know you only told her I was gone because that's what you believed to be true. It wasn't as if you were tying to actually hurt her like you usually do. Or at least that's the impression I got from Myamoto. But I want you to think of her side of it as well. She wasn't exactly thinking clearly when she said those things because she believed you were just doing what you always do. This coin has two sides, Ayane."

"You're just trying to defend her! You don't understand."

"I understand more think you think I do." Jack's voice was sharp and in it there was a slight shadow of pain.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

He paused a moment before deciding to continue in a different direction. He didn't feel like going into his past right now with anyone, especially not Ayane. "Myamoto told me about something you said and it's been bothering me. What did-- Never mind. Help me with this hatch."

Ayane was curious. "What were you going to say?"

"I made a promise to Kaz not to mention it to anyone else but her, so when I find her--"

"Find her? You mean you don't know where she is?"

Now it was Jack's turn to be curious. "Yeah, she ran off to go find you and try to apologize. She's been gone since last night. Why do you care?"

Ayane made a dark smile. "I don't."

Jack looked away from her and crossed his arms. "Yeah?"

"You don't believe me?" Ayane scoffed.

The ex-detective made a casual, yet smug expression. "I see you can walk without limping. If you hated her so much, then why'd you bother to stay with her at Myamoto's?"

Ayane balled her hands into fists. '_It doesn't matter now,'_ she thought to herself.

"Well? Why not go home and avoid this mess altogether?"

"Screw you, Wallace! I don't have to explain myself to you, asshole!"

Jack pretended he hadn't heard the malicious tone in her voice as he waved her to the hatch beside him, but it was clear that he had made a point, and it pissed her off. However, he also realized that she had made that decision before Kasumi had made her mistake. "Give me a hand here."

But Ayane didn't budge. "I'm not helping you."

"Look, I realize that there's some things that I have no room to butt into, and your relationship with Kasumi is one of them. But I also know that hating her for the first slip she makes is pointless. She _is_ trying to fix this, but when you keep tearing her efforts apart, it's kind of hard for her to realize when you aren't trying the make her feel like shit." He hesitated as Ayane rolled her eyes. Then he stared down at the hatch and sighed. "There's a difference between being pissed and looking for an excuse. We're on the opposite sides of the wall here, but it doesn't mean that we can't tear that wall down someday."

Ayane raised her eyebrows at Jack's words, not quite sure what he meant by them. "What do you mean?"

He shrugged. "Hopefully you'll figure it out by the time this is all over. Now can you at least help me lift this before you storm off into the woods?"

She paused. "What's down there?"

Jack was getting irritated at her constant questions. "It's a friend of mine, okay? Myamoto managed to get trapped down there just before that piece of junk you saw burning outside attacked us. Now help me get this open or I'll just have to go on without--"

"Whatever," Ayane muttered. "Move over, Jack."

They tried their hardest, and soon the mirror hatch was open enough for one of them to slip inside. Jack hesitated a moment and looked the Ayane's straining face. If he went down first there was no way she would be able to follow and he had no clue if she would even want to. It wasn't her problem and now that she knew Kaz was looking for her--  
"Hurry up! This thing isn't light, Jack!"

"Why don't you go first? I can hold it long enough to follow."

Ayane glared at him. "What? I'm not going with you, Jack! I have other things to do than help you cause trouble!" The door slid down a little as she strained to keep it from slipping from her palms. "Go now, you moron!"

Jack looked at her seriously, his voice even and unflinching. "Don't do anything you might regret later. It might come back to haunt you in a way you can't imagine."

Before she could ask what he meant with the cryptic words, he slid down the ramp and Ayane was overpowered by it's weight, sealing this entrance for good. The two men would have to find another way out.

Ayane blew her bangs from her eyes and placed her right hand on her hip. What was so important here anyways? What was this place? And why, after what she had said earlier, would Kasumi even bother wasting her time on a search? Especially knowing how things have changed. Apparently, her older sister didn't value her life at all and only sought to end it as soon as she could. Ayane laughed privately as she began her return to the woods. '_If that's the case, I have no problem in granting your wish, Kasumi.'_

After Jack finished his tumble down the stairs he slid across a glass like floor and right into a nearby computer console, hitting his head hard on the corner of the dark gray device.  
He grabbed his head as he stood up and clenched his left hand into a fist. "Damn machines! Why are there so many of these stupid things around here anyways!"

"Jack? Dude! I thought you were dead!"

Jack faced his friend, or where he thought his friend was standing and shook his head. "Dead? Why does everyone always want to think I'm dead? I didn't know how underestimated I was."

Myamoto laughed. "Well, you are fighting a man who had not only the nerve, but the capability to torture two Shinobi women in their own territory. It's not like you are a one man army, Jack."

"I could be."

Myamoto chucked again and walked over to Jack, but the place was so dark that he couldn't even see what was in front of his own face. "I heard the explosion. What was it?"

Jack grinned. "Nothing but some expensive fireworks. Good thing I wasn't the one buying. The finale was just plain disappointing. But whenever we're done down here, I can guarantee that we don't have to worry about any more trouble from that thing. It's toast."

"Good," Myamoto sighed then paused a second. "Hey, how did you get down here anyways? That hatch was way too--"

"I had some help. Speaking of which, let me give you a hand with this place. How do you ever expect to find anything in this darkness?"

"Well, I was using your penlight when the batteries went dead on me. Who helped you open--"

"I'll tell you later. All that's important is finding Smith's weakness and getting back to my apartment. Help me look for a light."

Both men scoured the room for almost ten minutes before Jack realized that he still had that British guy's lighter in his pocket. He pulled it out and ignited it, smiling victoriously as the flame produced a dancing yellow light. He quickly found what he was looking for with the aid of the lighter's flame and hit the red button on the wall labeled emergency power. It took a few seconds and Jack feared that because of the broken generator, the lights wouldn't' work. But then the rows of fluorescent lights began to flicker to life and the room was revealed.

The room, though, was far bigger than either man had anticipated. And it had to be because stored wall to wall were many half built super weapons. Most were huge mega machines that made the one Jack just defeated seem like a trinket. But mostly it was just stacks of crates of experimental small arms and melee weaponry.

"Holy-- Jack do you know what we've just found!"

Jack shrugged. "I guess this Smith guy does more than just interrogate innocent women. What do you think he does with all this stuff?"

"Sells it to the highest bidder." Myamoto paused and picked up a small cylinder that looked like an extra long flashlight. Then he pressed a button on the side of the device, but nothing happened. Still, it was obvious to the hacker what the device was. "This looks familiar. Do you recognize it, Jack?"

"No, should I?"

Myamoto laughed. "Well considering who your little girlfriend is, yeah. Actually, I don't know if even she's seen this or not. I've only seen it once and that was when I hacked some cameras in China at the end of DOA3."

"What are you talking about?"

Myamoto laughed. "DOATEC! That thing they released last year fought with one of these at the end of the tournament. I watched the whole thing live by hacking the Chinese media."

"Then that must mean Smith is working with DOATEC? Why does that even matter?"

Myamoto shrugged. "I don't know, but it would be best if we kept that in mind. You never know when it could come in handy."

Jack nodded as Myamoto put down the malfunctioning energy weapon. He thought long and hard about everything he could recall Kasumi and her sister telling him about the time she spent with Smith, and remembered how Ayane had mentioned that as time passed, he seemed to get more agitated. The man was impatient and easy to anger. Maybe they could use something here to flush him out or rile him into a confrontation.

"Jack, check this out!"

Jack turned around and walked over to the dusty desk Myamoto was searching. Then he took a close look at the papers the hacker was pointing at. "Bingo."

_

* * *

Sunday, January 7 _

_9:37 A.M._

_Jack's Apartment_

Shark stared at he television and drank one of Jack's sodas like he owned the place, ready to take another bite of Kasumi's strawberry cake.

Kasumi also watched the talking box intently, and uneasily nibbled at the delicious dessert in her lap, careful to make sure her long flowing hair didn't get in the way. She was uneasy around Shark and just wanted him to leave so Oni-san and Hayabusa could talk with her alone. But even after almost an hour and a half, Shark wouldn't leave.

"Um… I really don't mean to be rude but I was hoping that maybe you could go now."

Shark laughed after swallowing a bite of the strawberry millefeuille. "Did you just try to politely kick me out? As I said before I'm not leaving until Jack comes back or one of you tells me where to find him. Get over it."

Kasumi swallowed another small bite of her cake. "Why? You could always just come again later and--"

"Why come back when I'm already here?"

Hayate, clearly disapproving of the parasitic man and wanting to discuss a course of action in privacy, glared at Shark with his penetrating brown eyes. "If you aren't going to be useful, get lost. We have important business to take care of and it doesn't involve you."

Shark shrugged arrogantly and took another bite of the scrumptious cake that was never meant for him. "So then pretend I can't hear you."

Kasumi shook her head and put down what was left of her piece of cake. "If you won't go then I will."

"Whatever."

Hayate got up from the recliner and grabbed her shoulder as she began to walk away. "I need you to--"

Kasumi looked at her brother stubbornly. "I can't stay here. Not with him. Please, let me go, Hayate. I just want some fresh air and I promise I won't go far."

"This isn't a choi--"

"I'll go with her," Hayabusa stated as he walked in from the kitchen. "Some space might be good for her."

Kasumi nodded, not surprised at Ryu's action considering their friendship. "Thank you, Hayabusa."

Ryu grunted and followed Kasumi out of the apartment, leaving Hayate alone with the annoying leech. As they made their ways down the stairs of Jack's building, he noticed that Kasumi's limp had grown significantly better and was getting to the point where it wasn't that noticeable. In fact if he hadn't known any better, he could've swore that she had never been hurt that seriously at all.

Once they got down to the building's lobby, Hayabusa noticed for the first time what the place actually looked like. The cracked teal and white tile floor gave the building an old a fragile appearance and the fact that there was old furniture piled up along the wall opposite the mailboxes made the place look cheap. He glanced at Kasumi, who was now walking beside him instead of in front of him. '_I suppose this place_ _is better than the forest…'_

"Awww, I forgot it was still raining…" Kasumi groaned.

Hayabusa peered outside as a thunderclap split the air. "I suppose we are stuck here."  
Suddenly, the lights flickered off and out of nowhere a familiar voice laughed. "So you made it all the way out here, despite your injuries? Most impressive, Miss Kasumi. Most impressive. However, I couldn't really expect anything less from the one who killed Master Raidou, could I? Quite a show _that_ fight was."

Kasumi gasped sharply and Hayabusa narrowed his eyes to see where the voice was coming from. "Be prepared, Kasumi."

The voice began to laugh. "Really, you want to fight so soon? Actually it's most convenient that I found the both of you at once. Saves me the trouble of hunting down the infamous Ryu Hayabusa later. Tell me, Mr. Hayabusa, does it ever get boring?"

Kasumi, being stubborn as always, refused to get behind Hayabusa, but decided to fight alongside him. She wasn't weak, and though she loathed unnecessary violence, she could defend herself in a fair match. But this voice… she couldn't really tell if he was just playing with her mind or if the man truly intended to do her harm. "What is this man talking about, Hayabusa?"

Hayabusa shook his head and grunted as lightning flashed through the two large windows on either side of the glass front doors. "It's none of your concern."

The voice laughed again. "He's right, Miss Kasumi. It's not really your place to ask such questions from what I gather. Not anymore."

The words sunk in deep and Kasumi winced from their impact on her heart. Even this stranger would taunt her over--

"Ryu!" She gasped. "He… he knows!"

"Do I ever. But it wasn't easy you know, finding out your little secret. I have to admit though, Smith's research made most of it rather simple. Shinobi… now I think I understand a little bit more about your participation in DOATEC's little 'tournaments.'" The man paused to chuckle to himself. "But this was never supposed to get so complicated. Ha! Imagine my surprise when I discovered the mess you were in! There seems to be no rest for the hunted, am I right?"

Kasumi was beginning to feel irritated at this man's jovial approach to her misery. "I don't understand what you want with me…"

"You? My dear girl, the world does not revolve around you. I admit you are an important part of my… assignment. But I'm here to study more than just you."

"Reveal yourself stranger," Ryu said in a low tone. "or feel the wrath of my spirit!"

The man laughed. "Again with the fighting? And I thought you were the kind of fighter who always liked to know what he was getting himself into, unlike Miss Kasumi here. But I suppose you have always been a man of rash actions, huh?"

Hayabusa had taken just about enough of this. He muttered a quick enchantment and waved his arms in a circle in front of him. Then as he could feel the heat channeling itself through him, he cut the spell short, just finishing enough of it to create a small circle of flame without the destructive blast. He maintained it above his head and looked forward a the man who approached them, clapping his hands as he walked.

"Not bad. It makes me wonder what other tricks you can do…"

Kasumi took a step back and relaxed a moment, instantly recognizing the strange hat from earlier this morning. "You! You were the one that hit Bayman with that rock!"

The man performed a slight nod and tipped his black fedora hat to her, the orange light from Hayabusa's flame dancing across his overconfident smile. It was as if the man believed nothing could touch him. "Yes, that was me."

Kasumi then broke her stance, and performed a polite bow, as it was a common Japanese greeting. "Thank you for that."

Hayabusa, had no clue what was happening, but also relaxed, thinking that Kasumi probably knew what she was doing.

The man laughed at her bow, not bothering to return the favor. "You need not thank me, Miss Kasumi. I didn't do it for you. In fact I could've easily stood there as Bayman beat you to a bleeding pulp. I warned you once, and your hesitation was the cause of that fight. If you had lost, it would have been your own fault."

Hayabusa understood the man's logic easily, but Kasumi viewed it as a heartless response from a man without compassion. "You would just let someone die?"  
"If they are too weak to protect themselves, then they don't have any business in our world. After all, how is anyone supposed to get stronger if they are always wrapped in a protective cloak?"

Kasumi placed her left hand over her chest, a look of dismay crossing her features. "That's so cold! How could you say that…"

The man chuckled. "It wouldn't have been that hard; all I would have to do is watch. After all, any injuries you suffered were borne of your own reaction to my warning. I had nothing to do with it."

"So why did you help me at all?"

The man shrugged. "You needed to stay alive if I am to complete my assignment. After all, I didn't fly half way across the world so I could only go back with _almost_ all the information. I need to know _everything_ upon my return, which means that you need to stay alive. It was pure business, Miss Kasumi. Nothing more."

Kasumi shook her head. "A person's life is a priceless gift. It doesn't matter if it's important to you or not, you should always try to help."  
The man shook his head. "Miss Kasumi, you may be the last person on the planet who truly believes those words. Yet, it's those words that always bring you to your knees."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

The man said nothing, but adjusted his hat as if he hadn't heard her. Then he replied, "It means whatever you make it out to mean."

Hayabusa stole a glance away from the man and at Kasumi's face. It was strange to see her expression because it was nearly unreadable. Her eyes reflected confusion, sadness, irritation and compassion all at once. He looked back to the man and sent him a cold stare, as if he could peer inside this stranger's very soul and read his motives. "Who are you? What is your business with us?

"Nothing too important." He took a step closer and held out his hand. "My name is Corso, and I need to know everything you know about DOATEC."


End file.
